Imran Tahir inclusion turns the heat on Paul Harris
Sunday, 10 January 2010
The pressure is growing on Paul Harris after his disappointing display in the second innings in Cape Town, where South Africa ended one wicket short of victory for the second time in the series, according to website cricinfo.
The selectors have called Imran Tahir, the uncapped legspinner, into the squad for the final Test at the Wanderers and while he is unlikely to play, it is a shot across the bows for Harris.
Although Harris took three wickets in the final innings at Newlands, his length was erratic and he delivered several full tosses. He was out-bowled by JP Duminy, whose part-time offspin sparked England's collapse with the wickets of Paul Collingwood and Matt Prior.
Duminy's offspin has been more than handy during this series, fetching him six wickets at 26.50, compared to Harris's 11 wickets at 40.36. Mike Procter, the convenor of selectors, admitted there was concern over the form of the frontline spinner.
"To a certain extent, yes. Paul Harris has done well for South Africa over the years and it is a little disappointing when your frontline spinner wasn't able to extract more on a wicket that turned," Procter told Cricinfo. "I recall the Test at the Wanderers when Mike Atherton made that marvellous 185 and Clive Eksteen [the left-arm spinner] got a bit of a rap for that. But that wicket was flat, it never really turned."
On that occasion in 1995, Eksteen went wicketless through 52 overs as Atherton batted for 643 minutes to save the game alongside Jack Russell. Two matches later, Paul Adams made his debut as South Africa strived to find something different and there are comparisons with Tahir's inclusion.
It has only been nine months since Tahir became eligible to play for South Africa. His inclusion comes at a time when he isn't making first-team appearances for the Titans. He is set to move franchises at the end of the season, having played just two of the eight Supersport matches this campaign for a return of seven wickets at 51.
The selectors have called Imran Tahir, the uncapped legspinner, into the squad for the final Test at the Wanderers and while he is unlikely to play, it is a shot across the bows for Harris.
Although Harris took three wickets in the final innings at Newlands, his length was erratic and he delivered several full tosses. He was out-bowled by JP Duminy, whose part-time offspin sparked England's collapse with the wickets of Paul Collingwood and Matt Prior.
Duminy's offspin has been more than handy during this series, fetching him six wickets at 26.50, compared to Harris's 11 wickets at 40.36. Mike Procter, the convenor of selectors, admitted there was concern over the form of the frontline spinner.
"To a certain extent, yes. Paul Harris has done well for South Africa over the years and it is a little disappointing when your frontline spinner wasn't able to extract more on a wicket that turned," Procter told Cricinfo. "I recall the Test at the Wanderers when Mike Atherton made that marvellous 185 and Clive Eksteen [the left-arm spinner] got a bit of a rap for that. But that wicket was flat, it never really turned."
On that occasion in 1995, Eksteen went wicketless through 52 overs as Atherton batted for 643 minutes to save the game alongside Jack Russell. Two matches later, Paul Adams made his debut as South Africa strived to find something different and there are comparisons with Tahir's inclusion.
It has only been nine months since Tahir became eligible to play for South Africa. His inclusion comes at a time when he isn't making first-team appearances for the Titans. He is set to move franchises at the end of the season, having played just two of the eight Supersport matches this campaign for a return of seven wickets at 51.