SA20 Season 4: Proteas spinner Harmer joins DSG as temporary replacement for Narine

Durban, Dec 24 : Durban's Super Giants (DSG) have signed South Africa off-spinner Simon Harmer as a temporary replacement for West Indies off-spin bowling all-rounder Sunil Narine ahead of Season Four’s commencement, said the tournament on Wednesday.

“Narine will arrive at Kingsmead for his maiden SA20 season after completing his commitments elsewhere,” said a statement from the tournament. Harmer returns to Kingsmead after spending the past two seasons with Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC), where he was part of their season two championship-winning squad by picking eight wickets in 11 matches.

Harmer, 36, joins DSG after being in exceptional form following a spectacular run with the Proteas Test side that saw him dismantle Pakistan and India batting line-ups. Harmer claimed 6-50 in the second Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi in October, driving South Africa to their first Test victory there in 18 years while reaching the landmark of 1,000 first-class wickets.

But his spin bowling masterclass came against India, where he took 17 wickets at an average of 8.94, as South Africa, the current World Test Championship winners, got a 2-0 Test series win. Harmer began by picking figures of 4-30 and 4-21 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, as South Africa got their first Test victory on Indian soil after 2010.

His spells of 3-64 and 6-37 in the second Test at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati sealed a 408-run victory and South Africa's first Test series win in India in 25 years. Harmer previously played four matches for DSG in SA20 season one before making a move to SEC, where he made three appearances in season three.

The Durban's Super Giants, which is owned by the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group that also owns Indian Premier League team Lucknow Super Giants, is based in Durban and was formed in 2022. The team's home ground is the Kingsmead Cricket Ground. The team is coached by Lance Klusener.