Vernon Philander - The legend who was above numbers
With the first 2 years of his career showing us promise that just could have grown exponentially, clocking well over 5 wickets per test, Vernon Philander was well on course to becoming a modern-day legend. His averages and strike rates were phenomenal or should I say 'Philander'omenal and he did a fair bit with the bat too.
If numbers were to be the only yardstick, then Vernon had dwindled in the latter part of his career finishing off with 224 wickets in 64 tests that is 3.5 wickets per test. In all fairness, any other bowler of his times, or eras gone by would have been proud to possess numbers that Vernon retired with. But did he do complete justice to his talent is something worth debating?
Vernon wasn't 'tear-away' in the sense that he didn't hurl 90 mph cannons consistently. But playing on hard bouncy conditions at home more than conditions with ample lateral movement had him pick up 146 wickets in 36 tests at a shade over 4 wickets per test and that number doesn't necessarily plummet but drops a tad bit to 3.83 and 3.66 respectively in Newzealand and England where conditions were more favourable for seam and swing. This makes for a curious case which only people who have done a post mortem of his career could explain. You would have it generally that, for speeds that Philander delivered at, Eng and NZ were more favourable.
But what certain numbers don't tell you is the big-hearted cricketer Philander was while he donned SAF colours. Certain numbers against his bowling department don't tell you that, when his team needed a reliable man down the order to hang in there, certain other numbers told us that he could score at an average of 25 and face 42 deliveries per inning. Certain numbers also don't tell you that Philander would put a price tag on his wicket, that some of the top batsmen of his era wouldn't in their playing days. But certain other numbers pit Philander amongst the legends of the game. His average of 22 with the ball and at a miserly enough economy rate makes him one of the finest, SAF has produced in the last couple of decades.
That Philander played test cricket for SAF at a time when he saw some real big legends retire, in Kallis, Graeme Smith, Amla, ABD made him a lot more special. Bowlers face the heat when batsmen don't pile on the runs and this decade for SAF wasn't particularly batting friendly, especially in test cricket. He didn't have a 'cushion' of runs so to speak. But Vernon Philander played the game hard and that is something that nobody can take away from him.
Vernon, you legend! Happy retirement and may you come back to deliver more to South African cricket in the back-end. I'm sure your nation needs grey matter coupled with experience that is priceless!
If numbers were to be the only yardstick, then Vernon had dwindled in the latter part of his career finishing off with 224 wickets in 64 tests that is 3.5 wickets per test. In all fairness, any other bowler of his times, or eras gone by would have been proud to possess numbers that Vernon retired with. But did he do complete justice to his talent is something worth debating?
Vernon wasn't 'tear-away' in the sense that he didn't hurl 90 mph cannons consistently. But playing on hard bouncy conditions at home more than conditions with ample lateral movement had him pick up 146 wickets in 36 tests at a shade over 4 wickets per test and that number doesn't necessarily plummet but drops a tad bit to 3.83 and 3.66 respectively in Newzealand and England where conditions were more favourable for seam and swing. This makes for a curious case which only people who have done a post mortem of his career could explain. You would have it generally that, for speeds that Philander delivered at, Eng and NZ were more favourable.
But what certain numbers don't tell you is the big-hearted cricketer Philander was while he donned SAF colours. Certain numbers against his bowling department don't tell you that, when his team needed a reliable man down the order to hang in there, certain other numbers told us that he could score at an average of 25 and face 42 deliveries per inning. Certain numbers also don't tell you that Philander would put a price tag on his wicket, that some of the top batsmen of his era wouldn't in their playing days. But certain other numbers pit Philander amongst the legends of the game. His average of 22 with the ball and at a miserly enough economy rate makes him one of the finest, SAF has produced in the last couple of decades.
That Philander played test cricket for SAF at a time when he saw some real big legends retire, in Kallis, Graeme Smith, Amla, ABD made him a lot more special. Bowlers face the heat when batsmen don't pile on the runs and this decade for SAF wasn't particularly batting friendly, especially in test cricket. He didn't have a 'cushion' of runs so to speak. But Vernon Philander played the game hard and that is something that nobody can take away from him.
Vernon, you legend! Happy retirement and may you come back to deliver more to South African cricket in the back-end. I'm sure your nation needs grey matter coupled with experience that is priceless!
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