Who has been South Africa's best spinner since readmission?

[BoyBrumby]

Simon Harmer was probably the best

Simon Harmer definitely thought so.

Wouldn't completely rule out a recall now Kolpaks aren't a thing anymore though.

 

[Daemon]

Handy bat too.

 

[Migara]

Slim pickings but the list is below. Not sure if its worth a poll, just interested in opinions.

- Paul Adams
- Pat Symcox
- Nicky Boje
- Robin Peterson
- Paul Harris
- Imran Tahir
- Mahraj

Clive Eksteen, Omar Henry as well.

 

[subshakerz]

Paul Adam actually had better figures than I would have thought.

 

[Bahseph]

Harris actually did win South Africa some games early on in his career IIRC. Totally lost the ability to induce wickets unless a batsman wanted to hit him out the attack towards the end though. But he was the perfect foil to a good pace attack + Kallis for a good few years.

Maharaj is more well rounded. I don't think be plays the holding role as well but he is more likely to rip a few out and is definitely better in all conditions. South Africa definitely lean more on him in spinning conditions than they did Harris,and he has the time to become SA's highest wicket taking spin bowler in Test cricket.

Tahir just bowled too many four balls. I don't think Smith captained him particularly well though. Just the feeling I got while watching some of the games. But he did run through Pakistan in UAE when they were incredibly tough to beat there. So he has that.

I caught the tailend of Adam's career but he did suffer from being found out after the uniqueness of his action wore off. Was genuinely good for a couple of years.

Boje and Symcox were picked in equal measure because of their batting as well.
I rate Harmer but he just didn't play enough matches for me to put him above Harris and Maharaj.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Boje had a huge role with both bat and ball in SA's win in India in 2000 and the draw in SL the same year. He sucked otherwise but as far as just the biggest series achievements his are better than Maharaj/Harris imo.

 

[Bahseph]

Boje had a huge role with both bat and ball in SA's win in India in 2000 and the draw in SL the same year. He sucked otherwise but as far as just the biggest series achievements his are better than Maharaj/Harris imo.

A quick look into some stats and Maharaj has had pretty good series returns in NZ,WI,ENG,PAK and SL. Wasn't the worst in AUS either in his debut series. He did get pummeled against India when SA last toured and you would jot that down as a big mark against him. It would be a crowning moment for him if he goes to India and actually bowled SA to a series victory there. So yeah,that's probably the one area Boje has him beat!

 

[honestbharani]

Maharaj easily for this poll but I think Adams had the highest ceiling of all the spinners I have seen from RSA.

 

[Flem274*]

Maharaj. He is a genuinely good bowler, though I did not see much of Adams.

I have soft spots for Harris (good role player) and Boje (good ODI player, good role player) though.

Peterson wasn't the worst Boje successor either.

 

[Shady Slim]

for maharaj it's also gotta be said that until india's twin wins maharaj was pretty much the only touring spinner that decade who didn't get dicked down under

 

[_00_deathscar]

Who was better/worse?

South Africa's all time spinners or India's all time pace attack pre 2018?

 

[_00_deathscar]

Paul Adam actually had better figures than I would have thought.

Yea - same, weird...thought he was like a 35+ average bowler taking just over 2 WPM.

 

[Dendarii]

Who was better/worse?

South Africa's all time spinners or India's all time pace attack pre 2018?

In their early days, the South African attack was dominated by spin and it was maybe only the 1950s when the good quick bowlers started to emerge. So I'm not sure it's the comparison you're intending as going all time you'd be including Tayfield, Vogler, Faulkner, and Schwarz.

 

[ankitj]

Nicky Boje wins it. Check his record in India, against best players of spin of the era. LEGEND

 

[_00_deathscar]

In their early days, the South African attack was dominated by spin and it was maybe only the 1950s when the good quick bowlers started to emerge. So I'm not sure it's the comparison you're intending as going all time you'd be including Tayfield, Vogler, Faulkner, and Schwarz.

Yea forgot about them. Meant from 90s/readmission onwards really.

 

[Gob]

Nicky Boje wins it. Check his record in India, against best players of spin of the era. LEGEND

He was fully fit the whole time though. Makes an enormous difference

 

[Prince EWS]

He was fully fit the whole time though. Makes an enormous difference

He definitely wouldn't have been able to do it with a broken toenail.

 

[ParwazHaiJunoon]

Aiden Markram

 

[karan_fromthestands]

Any spinner playing for SA should also be useful with the bat since the responsilbity with the ball will be limited to controlling the over rate and providing support to the pacers with tight overs. Sure the odd series in SC might require the main spinner to step up, but outside that the requirement is very limited. For that reason, I rate Nicky Boje very highly. Good left arm spinner, decent fielder and pretty useful with the bat.

 

[Himannv]

Yea forgot about them. Meant from 90s/readmission onwards really.

India were better, not by a country mile or anything like that, but better. They had Dev, Srinath, and Zaheer. Ishant was ok at times and Praveen Kumar would have been very good if he was a bit quicker and had better temperament. Probably one or two others as well.