#4 Paul Harris
When we talk about South African spinners, the names that come up in our minds are Paul Adams, Nicky Boje and Imran Tahir. The name Paul Harris isn’t too popular, not many recall him. The few of them who do, only remember the fact that his left arm spin was boring, that he was defensive, that he bowled a negative line from over the stumps. He wasn’t liked too much.
Paul Harris played 37 Tests, in a four year period ranging between India’s tour to South Africa in 2006-07 until their next one in 2010-11. Harris played his last few matches waiting to be dropped, for all the selectors were talking about was the qualification of Pakistan-born leg spinner Imran Tahir. So, as soon as Tahir got South African citizenship, Harris was dispensed with.
Tahir’s Test bowling wasn’t anywhere as good as it was expected to be. He conceded a lot of runs, he didn’t take wickets either. His aggression, his always going for wickets kind of bowling didn’t complement the South African pace attack. They couldn’t maintain the hold they had on opposition batsmen earlier. Once the fast bowlers got tired, and the ball got old, they were leaking runs by the dozen. A link was missing. That link was Paul Harris. It was only after he retired that people realised his value, that people realised the importance of the role he was playing in the team.
Spin bowling has never been given major importance in South African cricket. It’s been all batsmen and fast bowlers. Since their reintegration in 1991, only three spinners have taken more than hundred test wickets. Paul Adams, the much loved chinaman bowler with a weird action. Nicky Boje, supposed to be a special talent. And Paul Harris, an ordinary unloved nothing sort of bowler.
Dale Steyn is a great fast bowler. He takes a lot of wickets. But he requires someone to support him from the other end, to maintain that pressure on batsmen, to not get their confidence up. He has Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander doing it for him now. When Harris started, Steyn was still a young bloke. He was still learning the tricks of the trade. He certainly required someone to support him. Morkel was young and erattic. Makhaya Ntini and Andre Nel, more after wickets than stopping runs. Shaun Pollock was there, but only for a short while.
In such circumstances, it was Harris who became the perfect foil to Steyn’s aggression. It was Harris who kept batsmen in check while Steyn went all guns blazing at them from the other end. Harris did that for each of the 37 Tests he played. He helped South Africa to numerous victories, even though 103 Test wickets don’t prove it.
He became what he became because South Africa wanted that, because South Africa needed that. And in the end, he walked away without any acknowledgement for any of it. Even a little bit would have been enough for him.
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