Essex County Cricket Club are delighted to announce that Simon Harmer has signed a one-year contract extension and will stay with the Club until the end of the 2022 season.
The 30-year-old had arguably his most impressive season to date, taking 83 Championship wickets as Essex claimed a second Championship title in three years, as well as captaining the Essex Eagles to a maiden T20 title.
His heroics earned numerous personal accolades in 2019, including the PCA Overall MVP, the Cricket Writers’ Club County Championship Player of the Year, the PCA Specsavers County Championship Player of the Year as well as the Essex Player of the Year, Essex Players’ Player of the Year and Essex Bowler of the Year.
The spinner has made a huge impression since making the move to Chelmsford in 2017, and after numerous contributions with bat and ball, he has become a fan favourite at The Cloudfm County Ground.
Harmer is thrilled to extend his stay and said: “I’m really excited to sign an extension and commit my future to this great Club.
“From the moment I arrived three years ago, I was made to feel part of the group and at ease in Chelmsford, and it is now a place I consider my home, so it was an easy decision for me to make.
“We’ve just had a phenomenal season and everybody at the Club is hungry for more success. We’ve now set the bar as to where we want to be as a Club. There’s a lot of hard work ahead of us, but I’m confident that with the squad we have we can defend our titles and be a dominant force for years to come.”
Essex Head Coach Anthony McGrath is pleased to see Harmer commit his future and added: “Simon is an outstanding bowler and arguably the best off-spinner in the world, who can change a game whenever he has the ball in his hands.
“He’s played a massive part in our success since arriving at the Club and his importance in the dressing room can’t be overlooked either. He’s a leader both on and off the pitch and it’s wonderful news for everyone involved with Essex that he’s going to be here for the foreseeable future.”
