Paul Harris - The best SA spinner since readmission?

[BoyBrumby]

Still early days for me, Adams started off really well, but Harris is an awful lot better than his action suggests he should be. His accuracy is his biggest asset IMHO, doesn't serve up too many gimmes.

I think batsmen would be far better off playing him as a left-arm inswing bowler tho, so rarely does he turn it off the straight.

 

[tait express123]

Paul Harris is a very good choice and he is probably one of the better spinners now days.

 

[Goughy]

I dont get the criticism of his action. The best left-arm spinner I ever played with had an similar low arm. Nothing wrong with it at all, IMO.

 

[Jakester1288]

Paul Harris isn't exactly the most flashy spinner, and hardly spins the ball, but is excellent at what he does. He plays a kind of Nathan Hauritz role. He keeps it tight, and his pressure leads to wickets for either him or the bloke bowling down the other end.

But saying he is South Africa's best spinner since readmition says a bit about South Africa's recent spin stocks.

 

[Noble One]

Based on consistent performances, Paul Harris is the best SA spinner since readmission. He Is a vital member of the South African team now, super intelligent bowler who understands his game almost better than any international spinner bar Vettori.

I don't think this reflects poorly on the quality of spin bowling in South Africa throughout the 90's and 00's. SA have produced some solid bowling options in Symcox, Boje and in ODI's Botha. Paul Adams for a time was one of the most dangerous wrist spinners in world cricket until his accuracy departed on him.

South Africa have had a good run with decent spin bowlers. Far worse options have been tried by other teams from the past 20 years (Nagamotoo, Hauritz, Robinson, Dawson, Wiseman).

 

[Goughy]

Paul Adams for a time was one of the most dangerous wrist spinners in world cricket until his accuracy departed on him.

He never had accuracy. He did great when he first got on the scene. Most of that was due to International batsmen overthinking the situation.

Club cricketers would have just hit him. International cricketers tried to analyse him.

He was a breath of fresh air but the simple approach would have worked best agianst him.

 

[Noble One]

He never had accuracy. He did great when he first got on the scene. Most of that was due to International batsmen overthinking the situation.

Club cricketers would have just hit him. International cricketers tried to analyse him.

He was a breath of fresh air but the simple approach would have worked best agianst him.

I recall his debut series against England, his accuracy whilst not in the Shane Warne mould, was still pretty solid. From there he obviously got worse, coinciding with international teams not being so surprised by his action.

A great shame Paul Adam's career did not pan out well, was an exciting bowler to watch and a terrific personality of the game.

His wrong-un was just as dangerous as his stock leg break. International batsmen of the past 10 years have really struggled to pick wrong-un's from rather average left arm wrist spinners. Players such as Paul Adams, Brad Hogg, Michael Bevan probably took more wickets with the wrong un than any of there regular deliveries.

 

[Top_Cat]

Still early days for me, Adams started off really well, but Harris is an awful lot better than his action suggests he should be. His accuracy is his biggest asset IMHO, doesn't serve up too many gimmes.

I think batsmen would be far better off playing him as a left-arm inswing bowler tho, so rarely does he turn it off the straight.

Been a while since you've seen him bowl? Has gotten decent purchase in all the Tests against Australia but in the second Test, was ripping them square sometimes. Unlike someone like Hauritz, was getting good drift too.

 

[Steulen]

Basically he has excellent drift, has the skill to bowl a looping ball that straightens after pitching (stock SLA ball, but still a weapon as Michael Clarke can certainly testify to), and doesn't care if he gets hit for six.

He's Ashley Giles with ability, I'd say.

 

[Briony]

He has a good temperament and doesn't drop his bundle when he's attacked. This helps him in contrast to others who can lose the plot when batsmen go on the attack. He has strong shoulders and his height aids his bounce.

 

[Athlai]

Shakib > Harris

 

[Uppercut]

I dont get the criticism of his action. The best left-arm spinner I ever played with had an similar low arm. Nothing wrong with it at all, IMO.

The criticism i heard was mainly that his front arm does absolutely nothing.

Still agree with you though.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Been a while since you've seen him bowl? Has gotten decent purchase in all the Tests against Australia but in the second Test, was ripping them square sometimes. Unlike someone like Hauritz, was getting good drift too.

Saw plenty of him last (English) summer and honestly don't recall him making one fizz. Because he's so round armed it always appeared that his natural ball slants into the right-handers so he's never going to get much away turn except on raging bunsens.

Clever bowler tho, Smith captained him very well up here; got several of our muppets with field changes when they tried to take liberties.

 

[Top_Cat]

Saw plenty of him last (English) summer and honestly don't recall him making one fizz. Because he's so round armed it always appeared that his natural ball slants into the right-handers so he's never going to get much away turn except on raging bunsens.

Clever bowler tho, Smith captained him very well up here; got several of our muppets with field changes when they tried to take liberties.

Yep, same in the home series here. Clarke and Symonds were rightly lambasted for trying to spank him out of the ground when the ball wasn't quite there, even if they weren't quite awesome deliveries either. Thing is, though, the balls he was bowling in between the wickets were quality stuff. Distinctly remember Clarke, fresh from dominating Murali the previous summer, having to quickly adjust his strokes on many occasions to allow for the excess turn, even in Perth. You could see he desperately wanted to go after him but couldn't. Vastly under-estimated bowler of late, is Harris.

 

[tooextracool]

IMO yes. Probably the best straight spinner that SA has produced since readmission. Gets drift, bounce and always fools the batsmen when they play for his nonexistent turn.

Err thats a very simple question, I made that claim after his very first test match.
http://www.cricketweb.net/forum/ash...ould-other-teams-have-done-5.html#post1031692

Not like that claim means anything because hes essentially competing with Boje, Adams and Symcox who were all largely inadequate as specialist test match bowlers. Possibly one of the better orthodox finger spinners around, although I wouldnt put him as a patch on Swann.

 

[popepouri]

I'd like to see how many dismissals ended in the batsman being caught at mid-on.

 

[Uppercut]

I'd like to see how many dismissals ended in the batsman being caught at mid-on.

Haha, yeah. Very much to his credit of course, he deals very well with batsmen going after him.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Never get why some mock Harris because he 'gets wickets when attacked' theory.

Surely the pressure he exerted beforehand has a huge effect on such dismissals?

 

[Pup Clarke]

I dont get the criticism of his action. The best left-arm spinner I ever played with had an similar low arm. Nothing wrong with it at all, IMO.

AWTA, thing I notice that is really good is he 'pivots' with his back foot which gives him the good revolutions.

 

[Uppercut]

Never get why some mock Harris because he 'gets wickets when attacked' theory.

Surely the pressure he exerted beforehand has a huge effect on such dismissals?

That's true recently but in England and India he just got wickets out of the lack of respect he was shown. Actually that was true at the start of the series in Australia too, even when he was bowling well that wasn't what made the batsmen attack.