Simon Harmer entered his name in the history books on Wednesday (November 26) by breaking the record of taking the most wickets for South Africa in a Test series in India. In the two-match Test series between India and South Africa, the 36-year-old spinner Simon Harmer, who has picked up more than 1000 wickets in first-class cricket, dismissed 17 batters. His tally of 17 wickets is two more than Dale Steyn’s tally of 15. During the South Africa tour of India in 2008, Steyn picked up 15 wickets in three matches for the Graeme Smith-led side.
Simon Harmer, who made his Test debut for South Africa in Cape Town against the West Indies, dismissed a total of eight batters in the series opener played at Eden Gardens in Kolkata from November 14 to 16. In that fixture, he picked up a four-wicket haul in both innings. In the Guwahati Test, Simon Harmer finished with figures of 3 for 64 in 27 overs in the first innings on Monday (November 24), and on Wednesday, during the fifth day’s play, he picked up five wickets.
Simon Harmer opened his wicket account on Tuesday evening by breaching KL Rahul’s defence, and in the morning session of the fifth day’s play, he added three more wickets to his tally. His first wicket on Wednesday came in the form of Kuldeep Yadav, who was clean bowled by him.
Two balls later in that same over, he dismissed Dhruv Jurel as well. Rishabh Pant was also sent back to the pavilion by Harmer on the second ball of the 32nd over. Simon Harmer completed his five-wicket haul by removing Washington Sundar in the second session of fifth day’s play.
Day 4 : South Africa strengthen case for series sweep on Day 4
Resuming at 26/0, Ryan Rickelton and Aiden Markram continued their steady partnership, extending it past 50. Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar were used early on but none managed to break through, even though Rickelton was looking scratchy.
The left-hander’s outing eventually ended on 35 when he got a leading edge off Ravindra Jadeja. Tristan Stubbs joined Markram and a watchful association ensued, one that lasted for nearly 10 overs for only 15 runs, before Jadeja struck again. The left-arm spinner found grip and turn as he had Markram bowled for 29 off 84.
South Africa slipped to 77/3 when Temba Bavuma fell cheaply, gloving a Washington delivery to leg slip. Washington could have also picked up the wicket of Stubbs but for a missed stumping chance. It was slow going for South Africa before Tony de Zorzi upped the ante. He started with a six off Washington and collected a few boundaries along with Stubbs as South Africa moved to 107/3 at Tea, with 81 runs coming in the session off 32 overs.
The lead crossed 400 early in the second session, with de Zorzi and Stubbs putting together a solid partnership. The South African batters, however, showed no urgency, seemingly content to bat time and wait for the surface to wear further. There was still no declaration even after the lead went past 450, and India also burned a review when Kuldeep thought he had trapped Stubbs in front.
The fourth wicket stand went past 100 before Jadeja bagged another wicket, ending de Zorzi’s innings one short of fifty – getting him lbw after the batter missed a sweep – with South Africa also losing a review. Wiaan Mulder then took over the boundary-hitting responsibility even as Stubbs brought up a patient half-century, getting there in 129 deliveries. The lead went past 500 when Mulder got his fifth four. Both Stubbs and Mulder were unbeaten at Lunch, having added 42, as South Africa went into the break at 220/4, leading by 508.
Stubbs struck a flurry of boundaries at the start of the third session, most of them off Nitish Reddy, to enter the 80s as South Africa went past 250. Stubbs moved into the 90s with a six off Jadeja but fell four short of the three-figure mark as he was bowled attempting a slog-sweep, giving the spinner his fourth wicket. A declaration from South Africa followed immediately, leaving India with a monumental task as they were chasing a 500-plus target only for the second time in a home Test – 543 set by Australia in Nagpur in 2004 was the previous occasion.
Marco Jansen set the tone with the ball as he troubled Yashasvi Jaiswal in the opening over with short-pitched deliveries, and almost picked up a wicket as well but Markram couldn’t hold on to a tough chance at second slip. Jaiswal got his first runs by flicking Jansen for a four in his next over and even took on his short deliveries, upper-cutting one for a six. KL Rahul, meanwhile, was watchful at the other end and took 13 deliveries to get off the mark.
The cut shot, however, brought about the downfall of Jaiswal as he got out for 13 attempting one off Jansen, getting caught behind. The troubles compounded for India as Rahul fell soon after, getting bowled in Simon Harmer’s first over. Sai Sudharsan and Kuldeep Yadav saw India through to stumps, with the hosts in deep trouble and staring at a series sweep by South Africa.
A day of attritional batting, led by Tristan Stubbs’ 94 off 180 balls, helped South Africa set a mammoth target of 549 on Day 4 of the second Test against India in Guwahati. The visitors didn’t appear in any hurry with their batting approach as they patiently extended the lead past 500 and deflated India, before declaring late in the final session. After South Africa finished with 260/5 in their second essay, India lost their openers early and went into Stumps at 27/2, needing 522 on the last day to avoid a 0-2 series loss.
Day 5 : Sensational Simon Harmer spins South Africa to historic 2-0 series sweep over clueless India with 408 runs
As in Kolkata, Simon Harmer ran the final-day script. The offspinner scythed through India with 6 for 37 – his first five-wicket haul in the country after falling one short on four previous attempts – vindicating South Africa’s decision to bat deep on the fourth day even at the risk of losing time in the second innings. Only Ravindra Jadeja, who made 54, offered meaningful resistance in India’s second innings; his dismissal, stumped off Keshav Maharaj and left lying stomach-down on the turf, summed up India’s current state in the format.
Coming into the final day, only one team could realistically win. India needed 522 – a chase effectively off the table – but their Manchester escape four months ago meant a final-day grind wasn’t entirely out of the question.
But Simon Harmer made sure it was. He struck early, removing nighthawk Kuldeep Yadav and Dhruv Jurel in the same over to reduce India to 42 for 4. Kuldeep was bowled through the gate, while Jurel pushed at one and edged to Aiden Markram at slip, who, in turn, was inching towards a world record himself (more on that later).