In his latest exclusive remarks to PakPassion.net, the ex-Pakistan coach Richard Pybus talked about the phenomenal rise of South African pace sensation – Vernon Philander.

By Anum Rehman (16th February, 2012)

 

In his latest exclusive remarks to PakPassion.net, the ex-Pakistan coach Richard Pybus talked about the phenomenal rise of South African pace sensation – Vernon Philander. Currently coaching the Cape Cobras, Pybus has also worked with Border and Titans in the past, and as such, he detailed how Philander (who also plays for the Cape Cobras) has recently risen through the ranks. "If someone had asked a cricket fan anywhere in the world who Vernon Philander was in September 2011, there is a high probability the response would have been … Vernon who? In that same month, he travelled unheralded to India with the Cape Cobras to play in the CLT20 competition, and returned to South Africa at the end of the competition to no fanfare. Not a blip on the radar."

Although the 26 year old has made quite a lot of headlines recently, it was only about a month back that he obtained a national contract for his impressive (albeit short) Test career so far. As Pybus remarked, "How short is three months in a player’s career? Vernon literally went from obscurity to front page."

Belonging to the northern suburbs of Cape Town, Pybus stated how Vernon's background "is a far cry from the manicured lawns of the southern suburbs, and the privileged traditional schools which were for many years the breeding grounds of Western Provinces’ white cricketers. The northern suburbs are more working class and blue collar, it’s a longer journey physically and metaphorically to Newlands and eventual cricket success."

The fact that Vernon grew up in a new age South Africa also provided him with the opportunity others of his race may not have had in the past. "As timing would have it, Vernon was born as one of those young South Africans who knew little of apartheid outside of the history books and was marked in the new dispensation of cricket unity in South Africa, as a hugely promising school boy cricketer selected quickly for senior Western Province honours."

Being the prime force behind Australia's batting collapse in Newlands (dismissing them for 47 runs in the second innings), Vernon had a great Test debut as he took 5 for 15 back in November 2011. With other terrific performances under his belt, Philander has already emerged as the spearhead of the South African attack. Pybus praised this effort and determination, and went on to discuss his success in Tests. "Vernon was selected to play against Australia at Newlands on a spicy wicket, and promptly went about dismantling the fragile Australian batting line up. This theme continued through the short Australian series and into the Sri Lankan one, barring the performance at Kingsmead, where South Africa didn’t turn up. The South African quicks, with Philander now at the forefront, ripped through Sri Lanka’s inability to play on bouncy, seaming wickets."

His meteoric rise in the whites culminated in him rising up the record books. "Into the pages of cricket history went one of the fastest bowlers to reach 30 wickets - in all of four Test matches he had amassed 4 five wicket hauls, as well as ten wickets in a match! Philander's journey to the front page of cricket news has been circuitous. The opportunity to take the new ball for South Africa was earned over the best part of 8 seasons, from making his first class debut in 2003 for the Cape Cobras."

While he has now hit a dream run, things did not always seem so positive for Philander. As Pybus remarked, "Vernon had previously had a short and not particularly successful debut with South Africa in 2007 on a One Day series tour of Ireland, rightly or wrongly, he returned from it without his reputation enhanced. There were questions about his attitude and physical conditioning and it seemed as if he was destined to be one of South African crickets nearly men. A couple of appearances, a shirt and a cap and not much else – destined to return to the hinterlands of domestic cricket."

There was little talk around at the time on his skill and ability. "His selection at the time as a short form player wasn’t appropriate. His all round skills in One Day cricket hadn’t produced enough consistent substance to backup the selection, and it smacked of one of those curious, uniquely South African selections where the national selectors pick a young player, under pressure to bring through promising young cricketers of colour."

While he was struggling with a 35+ average in ODIs, Pybus still believed in the talent that Vernon possessed and that he was just not being property utilised. "Without really looking at his strongest suit, and as those of us close to the coal face day in and day out know, Vernon is a highly skilled seam and swing bowler. A bowler whose game is better suited to the longer form, i.e. Test cricket."

So what makes Philander such a threatening bowler? "He is not quick, but has a good change up in pace. He has late away swing to the right-handers and a genuine inswinger for the lbw/bowled dismissal as well as the nick off to the left hander - as Mike Hussey found to his discomfort. Vernon's bowling microscope is constructed on superb control and the patience to explore and examine a batters game, probing for errors in technique and judgement."

The result is a bowler who has settled in well in the South African dressing room and acknowledged by his teammates. "In the Cobras dressing room after a win, the team song for Vernon goes ‘Ooh, Ah, Vern McGrath, I say Ooh, Ah, Vern McGrath’ to which Vernon has to promptly dispose off his beer! The McGrath bit is an acknowledgement to the virtues of skill, control and patience and although there are hundreds of wickets and many inches in height between the two bowlers, there is this commonality of high skill and unerring accuracy. With a modus operandi of wicket to wicket bowling, with a line so tight on off stump and just outside, that every ball is a strict examination of a batters judgement of when to play and when to leave" stated Pybus.

Looking at Philander's success thus far, it is no surprise that even with just 4 Tests under his belt, he has already impressed many in cricketing circles. With away tours to England, New Zealand, and Australia coming up, it will no doubt be interesting to see how he fares in the future. "Let us hope that Vernon’s success is long lived and that he becomes a worthy successor to Makhaya Ntini, in carrying the hopes and aspirations of South Africa’s previously disadvantaged cricket communities."