The fourth round of the illustrious 2021 LV= County Championship came to an exciting conclusion at grounds across England and Wales over the course of this last weekend, but which South African stars stood out from the crowd in this week’s round of games?
This round took place from 29th April-2nd May 2021.
Well in order to answer that question, here are 3 players who I believe really stood up to the plate this week and made their mark for their respective counties in the fourth round of the 2021 County Championship:
1. Hashim Amla (Surrey)
After an uncharacteristically sluggish start to the season with the Brown Caps, in which he scored a meagre total of just 78 runs over the course of his first 5 innings, Amla came into this week’s crunch match against Hampshire with a point to prove.
Faced with one of the most clinical bowling attacks in the entire country, comprised of the likes of Mohammad Abbas, Kyle Abbott and Liam Dawson to name but a few, Amla stamped his authority at the Kia Oval in emphatic fashion, taking us all on a wonderful trip down memory lane with a masterfully crafted 215 from 367 balls which displayed the awe-inspiring plethora of classy drives, precise cut shots and impeccably-timed mid-wicket flicks that had once catalysed his rise to immortality in the hallowed halls of cricketing history.
Although we as fans can no longer revel in the majestic sight of Amla making his mark at the crease for the Proteas in the international arena, this glorious exhibition of red ball batsmanship, skill and temperament at one of the most iconic grounds in world cricket was more than enough to satisfy our borderline insatiable craving for yet more greatness courtesy of one of South Africa’s finest ever cricketing sons.
2. Wayne Parnell (Northamptonshire)
It’s safe to say that Wayne Parnell is rather enjoying life ever since making the move from Worcestershire to Wantage Road ahead of this year’s county cricket season.
After scoring an invaluable 54 from 95 balls alongside Gareth Berg in a vital rear-guard action for the East Midlands side during last week’s extraordinary 7 wicket victory over Glamorgan, Parnell continued his scintillating start to life in Northampton with immensely impressive match figures of 10/143 as well as a valuable 33 from 102 balls during his side’s second innings against Yorkshire at Emerald Headingley this week.
Unfortunately for Northants though, this valiant 33 from the steely South African number 8 batsman was just not enough to take his side across the line in this particular contest as Yorkshire stalwart Steven Patterson drew the edge of Parnell’s blade in the 74th over of the innings to ultimately leave the men from Northampton all out for a battling total of 218 runs, thus condemning the East Midlands side to a heart-breaking defeat by a slender margin of just one solitary run.
3. Simon Harmer (Essex)
Yes, you did read that choice correctly, for the third consecutive time the magical ‘Spin Wizard of Chelmsford’ makes an appearance in this segment.
Incredible.
After taking impressive figures of 4/89 and scoring a spirited 82* in Essex’s shock 7 wicket defeat to Warwickshire at Edgbaston last week, Harmer continued his excellent run of form with an enterprising 57* from just 51 deliveries in Essex’s first, and only, innings, as well as a typically economical spell of 4/85 from a mammoth total of 49 overs during Worcestershire’s first innings, as the defending champions played out a high-scoring draw with the Pears at New Road this week.
With the South-Eastern side currently occupying 4th place in the mightily competitive Group 1 table, perhaps the defending champions with be lamenting some lost opportunities from their first four matches but with the unstoppable Harmer spearheading one of the most feared bowling attacks in the entire country, don’t be surprised if the men from Chelmsford begin to make a prominent surge up the table as each of the rounds go by.
