Vernon Philander has emerged at just the right time to offer support to South Africa’s formidable pace duo of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, says Jason Mennell.
Vernon Philander exceeded any reasonable expectations when he burst onto the Test scene to tear through an experienced Australian batting line-up. Given the new cherry in the first innings on his home turf at Newlands, the muscular paceman wasted no time in bewildering the Aussie openers and it wasn’t long before he had claimed his first Test scalp.
Banging the ball in short of a length between middle and leg, it jagged away to square up Phil Hughes, and forced him into a defensive edge to a gleeful Mark Boucher who claimed his 500th Test match catch. In just his third over, it was a start that boded well for the big man from the Cape.
And while it is not unusual for newfound talents to fill their boots before the opposition has had the chance to suss them out, 26-year-old Philander had been around for a while and had made his ODI debut four years earlier. Sixty nine first-class outings – which included 253 wickets – should have further provided the visitors with ample warning and opportunity to have had a sneak peek at the Test scene’s newest upstart.
Yet relatively unknown, bustling into the crease he came; tall, strong and vaguely Bothamesque with a classical sideways action to release one outswinger after another. The Australians shrunk timidly, vulnerable to the movement through the air and nip both ways off the seam, they suffered a crisis of confidence. Philander wasted no time and went for the jugular, demolishing the visitors in the second innings, claiming five wickets for just 15 runs as the Aussies found themselves back in the dressing room having scored their lowest Test total since 1902.
A week later at the Wanderers, Philander was at it again. Entrusted with the new ball once again, he proved his first outing was no chance occurrence by returning another five-wicket haul in Australia’s second innings. After dismissing Michael Clarke with one that squeezed through the gate, Philander celebrated with in-your-face menace; Flintoff-like and imposing, oozing attitude and utter confidence.
A product of Tygerberg Cricket Club in his earlier years, Philander captained the South Africa Schools team before a brief spell at Devon. Since then he has been a consistent performer for the Cape Cobras and turned up for Middlesex in the 2008 domestic season, where he was disciplined by the ECB after he was reported by umpires Peter Willey and George Sharp for unacceptable on-field behaviour. Philander and trouble have been synonymous in the past.
“He had a wonderful domestic first-class record but when national selectors sat down to discuss teams, his name never came up because of issues around his disappointing fitness levels and attitude,” said high-performance coach Vincent Barnes. “He wasn’t showing enough respect for the game or for the ability he had been given, so after a frank discussion he promised to brush up his work ethic and attitude.”
Having been given his opportunity, he was quick to grasp it with both hands and South Africa must be breathing a sigh of relief at seemingly finding the answer to the third seamer’s slot after Wayne Parnell and Lonwabo Tsotsobe’s slumps in form. Hitting little more than 83mph on the speed gun, Philander is still able to get high quality batsmen hopping about at the crease nervously as he charges in to hit the splice of the bat hard with a ‘heavy’ ball.
He has emerged just in the nick of time for the Proteas, for they will be facing the world’s best Test team in July next year in the aptly named Basil D’Oliveira Series, and Philander’s modus operandi should suit English conditions rather well. As Shaun Pollock reportedly said: “If he gets the Dukes ball to talk in England next year he could be really dangerous.” Perhaps England will be thinking twice about preparing the sort of lively pitches that they did against India during the summer.
Click here to read a first-hand account of the incredible first Test at Newlands.
Philander Emerges To Fill Problem Position
Vernon Philander has emerged at just the right time to offer support to South Africa’s formidable pace duo of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, says Jason Mennell.
Vernon Philander exceeded any reasonable expectations when he burst onto the Test scene to tear through an experienced Australian batting line-up. Given the new cherry in the first innings on his home turf at Newlands, the muscular paceman wasted no time in bewildering the Aussie openers and it wasn’t long before he had claimed his first Test scalp.
Banging the ball in short of a length between middle and leg, it jagged away to square up Phil Hughes, and forced him into a defensive edge to a gleeful Mark Boucher who claimed his 500th Test match catch. In just his third over, it was a start that boded well for the big man from the Cape.
And while it is not unusual for newfound talents to fill their boots before the opposition has had the chance to suss them out, 26-year-old Philander had been around for a while and had made his ODI debut four years earlier. Sixty nine first-class outings – which included 253 wickets – should have further provided the visitors with ample warning and opportunity to have had a sneak peek at the Test scene’s newest upstart.
Yet relatively unknown, bustling into the crease he came; tall, strong and vaguely Bothamesque with a classical sideways action to release one outswinger after another. The Australians shrunk timidly, vulnerable to the movement through the air and nip both ways off the seam, they suffered a crisis of confidence. Philander wasted no time and went for the jugular, demolishing the visitors in the second innings, claiming five wickets for just 15 runs as the Aussies found themselves back in the dressing room having scored their lowest Test total since 1902.
A week later at the Wanderers, Philander was at it again. Entrusted with the new ball once again, he proved his first outing was no chance occurrence by returning another five-wicket haul in Australia’s second innings. After dismissing Michael Clarke with one that squeezed through the gate, Philander celebrated with in-your-face menace; Flintoff-like and imposing, oozing attitude and utter confidence.
A product of Tygerberg Cricket Club in his earlier years, Philander captained the South Africa Schools team before a brief spell at Devon. Since then he has been a consistent performer for the Cape Cobras and turned up for Middlesex in the 2008 domestic season, where he was disciplined by the ECB after he was reported by umpires Peter Willey and George Sharp for unacceptable on-field behaviour. Philander and trouble have been synonymous in the past.
“He had a wonderful domestic first-class record but when national selectors sat down to discuss teams, his name never came up because of issues around his disappointing fitness levels and attitude,” said high-performance coach Vincent Barnes. “He wasn’t showing enough respect for the game or for the ability he had been given, so after a frank discussion he promised to brush up his work ethic and attitude.”
Having been given his opportunity, he was quick to grasp it with both hands and South Africa must be breathing a sigh of relief at seemingly finding the answer to the third seamer’s slot after Wayne Parnell and Lonwabo Tsotsobe’s slumps in form. Hitting little more than 83mph on the speed gun, Philander is still able to get high quality batsmen hopping about at the crease nervously as he charges in to hit the splice of the bat hard with a ‘heavy’ ball.
He has emerged just in the nick of time for the Proteas, for they will be facing the world’s best Test team in July next year in the aptly named Basil D’Oliveira Series, and Philander’s modus operandi should suit English conditions rather well. As Shaun Pollock reportedly said: “If he gets the Dukes ball to talk in England next year he could be really dangerous.” Perhaps England will be thinking twice about preparing the sort of lively pitches that they did against India during the summer.
Click here to read a first-hand account of the incredible first Test at Newlands.