For Simon Harmer, returning to St George's Park always reminds him of home. This experienced spinner, who spent his early years playing domestic cricket for the Warriors in Gqeberha, possesses deep knowledge of this unique sporting venue located on the eastern coast of South Africa.
After Proteas' victory in the second match against Australia, Harmer noted: 'It is always pleasant to return; I feel that the Eastern Cape is my home.' He added that the process of flying in and breathing the sea air always brings him joy, and he enjoyed his time at St George's Park.
Harmer emphasized that his knowledge of the field's microclimate and subtle changes in the grass gave the Proteas team an additional advantage in utilizing the conditions and setting up players. At the start of the match, both teams faced overcast skies and frequent interruptions due to rain, while a strong wind blew across the field closer to the end of the match.
Although the conditions were not ideal for his bowling, Harmer played a vital role in holding one end of the field while pace bowlers operated from the other side, especially after the injury to opener Anrich Nortje. He explained that understanding the pitch's slope, the differences between ends, and the influence of the wind helped the team throughout the game.
Despite self-criticism regarding his performance at the end of the fifth day when clouds gathered over the stadium, Harmer's overall contribution to the match victory was significant. He admitted he could have played better and suggested that in both matches, the pitch was more favorable for fast bowlers than for spinners. He also mentioned missing a ball while trying to cope with the wind.
However, Harmer compensated for this with crucial 82 runs scored with the bat in partnership with Temba Bavuma, as well as a brilliant one-handed catch that led to the dismissal of Marnus Labuschagne in Australia's first innings. Harmer stated that as a spinner, he enjoys scoring runs because he derives more satisfaction from accumulating runs than from taking wickets.
As the team packs up and prepares for the decisive series match in Cape Town, Harmer remains calm, focusing on the team's cohesion, which will help them through the remainder of the tour. He named one of the best dressing rooms he has been in and urged the team to take positive lessons from the current match to account for mistakes and perform their best in Cape Town.