Harvey excited by South African challenge

Ian Harvey, the former Australian allrounder, has arrived in Cape Town to begin his stint with the Cape Cobras. Harvey has opted to leave Australian state cricket behind and spend six months of the year in South Africa.

He spoke at a press conference shortly after arriving and stressed how keen he was to make an impact during his time with the franchise. "I believe this is a great opportunity and a new adventure for me. Hopefully things will be successful."

Harvey has made the decision to quit Australian domestic cricket, where he played for Victoria, as his chances of reselection to the national team are slim. With all his experience and nous, he hopes to pass on advice to the younger members of the Cape Cobras squad. "I reckon I have something to offer over here. I believe I can impart some stuff to the younger players."

For the last six months he has been playing for Yorkshire, using the time to develop his batting and says he is now a complete player. He averaged 42 with the bat and 26 with the ball in the County Championship. "I batted as high as number five during my stay with Yorkshire, and I think I've definitely improved with the bat over the past twelve months. I'm no longer just a bowling allrounder."

Harvey is looking forward to playing alongside Graeme Smith, when international commitments allow South Africa's captain to feature domestically, and calls Smith "one of the greatest competitors in the game." He also aims to put something back into the game in Cape Town by hosting three coaching clinics during his stay. These will allow up to 500 children to play and train with Harvey.