South Africa off-spinner Simon Harmer has advised England to include Jack Leach in their squad for the upcoming Test tour of his homeland this winter. Harmer also expressed concern over the development of slow bowlers in English domestic cricket, stating that a shortage of spin coaches leaves players feeling isolated.
England have recently adjusted their team balance following Ben Stokes’ international retirement in June, using Dan Lawrence’s part-time off-spin to support a four-man fast bowling attack. The team could maintain this setup during their three-Test series against South Africa, which begins on December 17.
Harmer Backs Leach for South African Conditions
Harmer, an experienced county player with Essex, took 14 wickets across three matches during South Africa’s recent 2-1 series victory over Australia, which included a 10-wicket match haul in the deciding Test at Cape Town. Speaking on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, he argued that Somerset left-arm spinner Leach remains the best option for England’s upcoming matches in Johannesburg, Centurion, and Cape Town.
Leach last represented England two years ago, does not hold a central contract, and has taken 142 wickets in 39 Tests at an average of 34.07. National selector Marcus North recently indicated on the Wisden Cricket Weekly podcast that the selection panel was moving in a different direction. However, Harmer believes Leach’s ability to provide control is vital for seamers to stay fresh on South African pitches.
Speaking to the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, Harmer said: “If you are going to play a spinner at those venues, you need, in the first innings, somebody who can hold an end so that your seamers can rotate, attack and bowl four overs of aggressive, fast bowling. If you don’t have that control, it makes it very difficult to find 90 overs in a day and how that stacks up with your seamers. So, for me, Leach is still the guy for England.”
Calls for Proactive Spin Development
Harmer acknowledged the talent of other English slow bowlers, including centrally contracted Shoaib Bashir, Yorkshire’s Dom Bess, and Sussex’s Jack Carson, but stressed that domestic players require more support. Although England recently named former Glamorgan coach and Yorkshire spinner Richard Dawson as elite national spin bowling lead, Harmer believes structural changes are still needed at the county level.
Recalling his time working with former Leicestershire spinner Carl Crowe at SA20 franchise Durban’s Super Giants, Harmer questioned why such expertise is not used more widely in county cricket. He noted that while England assistant coach Jeetan Patel works with the national squad, he has not seen him working at county fixtures.
Speaking to the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, Harmer said: “I think as a result of that, a lot of spinners feel isolated, feel alone, like they don’t have the means in order for them to take their game to the next level.” He added that England tend to wait until a problem arises before seeking solutions, rather than proactively upskilling bowlers in domestic cricket.
Sky Sports pundit Michael Atherton agreed with Harmer’s comments, sharing that he experienced a similar lack of specialized leg-spin coaching during his early first-class career until he toured Australia.
The three-Test series between South Africa and England is scheduled to start on Thursday, December 17, with the opening match taking place at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.
