South Africa spinner Simon Harmer reached 1,000 wickets in first-class cricket on Wednesday, 23 October 2025.
Harmer, who debuted in first-class cricket in 2009, collected the milestone during this week’s second Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi.
Harmer has taken 513 first-class wickets for Essex in England – and 53 for the Proteas in Test cricket. He has taken 278 for the Warriors and 28 for South Africa A. He has taken first-class wickets for the Titans and South African Invitational XI.
He has 58 five-wicket innings hauls and 14 10-wicket match hauls. His best innings figures are nine for 80 for Essex against Derbyshire in Chelmsford in 2021.
South Africans with 1,000 first-class wickets
- Mike Procter: 1,417
- Allan Donald: 1,216
- Buck Llewellyn: 1,013
- Simon Harmer: 1,000
Harmer hadn’t played Test cricket since 2023 prior to this month’s recall.
“I was surprised. I wasn’t expecting to be on the Pakistan tour,” Harmer told the Sunday Times earlier this month.
“It’s just the way professional sport is – right time, right place. I have to prove my worth and hopefully contribute significantly to the team’s success. Two or three wickets won’t cut the mustard.
“You always want to be competing on the biggest stage. I’ve done well in domestic and county cricket, but international cricket is where you want to compete – against the best players in different conditions.
“I’ve taken a lot of four-wicket hauls in Test cricket. That’s always bothered me – never taking a five-for, never outright winning the game for the team. I want to be that guy, to put in match-winning performances.”
England’s Wilfred Rhodes holds the record for the most wickets in the history of first-class cricket. Rhodes took 4,204 from 1898 to 1930.
Harmer is in third position among bowlers with the most first-class wickets taken in South Africa.
Boland’s Shaun von Berg has the most and the Dolphins’ Keshav Maharaj is in second position. The Tuskers’ Hardus Viljoen, Western Province’s Dane Paterson and the retired Vernon Philander are in fourth, fifth and sixth position, respectively.
Most wickets in first-class cricket
- Wilfred Rhodes: 4,204
- Tich Freeman: 3,776
- Charlie Parker: 3,278
- Jack Hearne: 3,061
- Tom Goddard: 2,979
- Alex Kennedy: 2,874
- Derek Shackleton: 2,857
- Tony Lock: 2,844
- Fred Titmus: 2,830
- WG Grace: 2,809