Simon Harmer has been named as the winner of the Cricket Writers’ Club’s County Championship Player of the Year Award for 2019, presented in association with William Hill.
Harmer, 30, enjoyed a brilliant season, with his spin bowling being a major factor in Essex securing their second Specsavers County Championship Division One title in three years.
The South African off-break bowler bagged 83 Division One wickets at an average of 18.29. This even surpassed his tally of 72 wickets collected in 2017 when Essex ended a 25-year search for the County Championship crown.
Harmer took five wickets in an innings on ten occasions in 2019. Perhaps his most remarkable match was against Hampshire in June when he claimed 12 wickets for just 61 runs as Essex surged to an emphatic victory inside two days. He also contributed with the bat, making two Championship fifties.
Harmer was also a key cog in Essex’s first domestic T20 success. Captaining the side, it was fitting that he hit the winning runs as the Eagles landed the ‘Blast’ title with a thrilling last-ball victory over Worcestershire at Edgbaston.
He received the County Championship Player of the Year award today at the Cricket Writers’ Club’s annual lunch, attended by almost 250 guests at the Marriott Grosvenor Square hotel in central London.
Harmer said: “It’s been a great last month of the season, and a wonderful season for Essex. It’s difficult to pick out one particular highlight. Obviously, Blast Finals Day was an extremely exciting occasion and everything fell into place for us at Edgbaston – it was great to win the Vitality Blast for the first time.
“Then, down at Somerset in the last and decisive County Championship match of the season, I think we got ourselves into a little bit of trouble trying to play out a draw on that pitch. In the end, it was the relief of finally lifting the trophy at the culmination of such a great season that was a real highlight! Very many thanks to everyone who voted for me to win this Award.”
