Test returnee Simon Harmer content being Proteas' No 2 spinner on NZ tour

Proteas spinner Simon Harmer said he understands that he's Keshav Maharaj's spin understudy in the Test side, but will do whatever's required of him to support the Test team.

Harmer's Four-Day series haul of 35 wickets from six matches at 19.45 for the Titans forced the selection as injury and upcoming nuptials of Prenelan Subrayen and George Linde ruled the duo out of the New Zealand Test tour.

New Zealand has never been one of the spinner friendlier countries, and with his success at Essex in the English County Championship, this is something Harmer understands.

Moreso the Hagley Oval in Christchurch where South Africa will be playing both their Tests later this month because of Covid-19 restrictions.

"The Hagley Oval is the bounciest and the greenest of the wickets in New Zealand, so the chances of playing two spinners there is low," Harmer said.

"I just need to make sure that I'm available when needed if something was to happen. Keshav has done extremely well.

"I'm always going to be a supporting act to him and I hope that's something I can do to the best of my abilities.

"If the opportunity of playing together does arise, maybe, but this tour is about working hard and supporting the guys who will be playing while adding value where I can."

The last of Harmer's five Proteas Tests came on the first terrible tour for India in 2015 where SA's batting failed to give any of the spinners a firm foothold on what were despicably turning pitches.

He took up a Kolpak contract with Essex and made hay in the English summers, but the law student has kept his Test cap ready.

Having admitted to being a memorabilia collector with the aim of displaying his cricket work in a beach bar if the fates allow, Harmer said his lack of assessment of