Harmer: Betway SA20 has “rejuvenated domestic cricket”

Proteas spinner Simon Harmer, fresh from the best Test performance of his career, believes Betway SA20 has “rejuvenated domestic cricket” and is assisting the development of the grassroots game in South Africa.

The Durban’s Super Giants star was sensational at Newlands, where he took 6/16 as Australia collapsed to 111 chasing 288. It was a career-best return, delivered in 21.1 overs before tea on day five.

His match figures of 10/120 made him the first South African spinner to take 10 wickets in a Test at Newlands and it was his maiden 10-wicket match haul for the Proteas. Only two South African spinners had taken 10 in a Test against Australia before him: Charlie Llewellyn in 1902 and Hugh Tayfield in 1952.

The win clinched the series 2-1 and propelled South Africa to the top of the ICC Test rankings.

“I think it’s (SA20) sort of rejuvenated domestic cricket in a way in South Africa,” Harmer said after the Newlands Test on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast.

“The stadiums are always full. And yeah, I think what Graeme Smith and the SA20 have put together has really helped South African cricket. I think that Cricket South Africa benefits financially from some of that.”

He went further by stating the Betway SA20 ripple effect reaches the next generation, particularly through the rain Schools SA20 competition and rain SA20 Derby Series.

“I think as a result of that, there’s a lot more money going into grassroots cricket, into developing the next Temba Bavuma or Kagiso Rabada or Aiden Markram,” Markram said.

“So, I think those wheels probably turn a lot slower and it takes a while for you to sort of reap the rewards of that. But I think in terms of public interest within South African cricket has definitely brought that back and brought more bums onto seats.”

Harmer knows the league from several angles. He played four matches for Durban’s Super Giants in the inaugural season before being traded to Sunrisers Eastern Cape ahead of Season 2, where he was part of the championship-winning squad and took eight wickets in 11 matches.

He has since returned to Kingsmead where he will hope to help the Super Giants winning their first Betway SA20 title.

The Super Giants open their Betway SA20 Season 5 campaign away to Pretoria Capitals at Centurion on Tuesday, 19 January 2027.

DID YOU KNOW? Both Harmer and Markram completed their schooling at Pretoria Boys High School, who will play in the rain SA20 Derby Series against Affies on 24 January 2027.