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Abu Dhabi – While Paul Harris is fighting determinedly for his spot in the South African Test side, he is also standing on the verge of a cricket milestone.
The 32-year-old left-arm spinner needs only six wickets to reach the 100 mark and he says it could happen already in the deciding Test against Pakistan.
"It is definitely in the back of my mind and any player who says he isn't thinking of these milestones, is lying," Harris told Sport24.
"It is like being a batsman with a score in the 90s. One is nervous and I would like to get those last six wickets as soon as possible."
If Harris from Saturday onwards at the Sheikh Zayed stadium gets six wickets, he would only be the 13th South African ever to reach the milestone of 100 and only the country's fourth spinner to achieve this – after Hugh Tayfield, Paul Adams and Nicky Bojé.
Morné Morkel, Harris's Proteas team-mate on top of this needs only three wickets to also join this selected group of bowlers.
"It is a big honour and it would be an extraordinary achievement to be one of only a few spinners to achieve this," said Harris.
"I never thought I would be able to score a single Test wicket, not to mention 100."
According to this tall blond-haired player, the Proteas were ready to make up for their disappointing performance in the first Test in Dubai.
"It was very strange that the pitch there was no help to the spinners or gave some bounce for the pacemen."
"On the other hand, it became increasing good for batting," said Harris.
"The closest that I have come to such a pitch, was at SuperSportpark in Centurion a few years ago."
"But the difference is that Centurion, especially in the beginning, gave lots of help to the pacemen but on this pitch I could bat all day long!"
Abu Dhabi – While Paul Harris is fighting determinedly for his spot in the South African Test side, he is also standing on the verge of a cricket milestone.
The 32-year-old left-arm spinner needs only six wickets to reach the 100 mark and he says it could happen already in the deciding Test against Pakistan.
"It is definitely in the back of my mind and any player who says he isn't thinking of these milestones, is lying," Harris told Sport24.
"It is like being a batsman with a score in the 90s. One is nervous and I would like to get those last six wickets as soon as possible."
If Harris from Saturday onwards at the Sheikh Zayed stadium gets six wickets, he would only be the 13th South African ever to reach the milestone of 100 and only the country's fourth spinner to achieve this – after Hugh Tayfield, Paul Adams and Nicky Bojé.
Morné Morkel, Harris's Proteas team-mate on top of this needs only three wickets to also join this selected group of bowlers.
"It is a big honour and it would be an extraordinary achievement to be one of only a few spinners to achieve this," said Harris.
"I never thought I would be able to score a single Test wicket, not to mention 100."
According to this tall blond-haired player, the Proteas were ready to make up for their disappointing performance in the first Test in Dubai.
"It was very strange that the pitch there was no help to the spinners or gave some bounce for the pacemen."
"On the other hand, it became increasing good for batting," said Harris.
"The closest that I have come to such a pitch, was at SuperSportpark in Centurion a few years ago."
"But the difference is that Centurion, especially in the beginning, gave lots of help to the pacemen but on this pitch I could bat all day long!"
