Vernon Philander

Vernon Darryl Philander (born 24 June 1985) is a South African former international cricketer. He was a right-handed bowling all-rounder; he had previously represented his country at under 19 level. He played for the South Africa national cricket team and Cape Cobras in South African domestic cricket. In December 2019, ahead of a Test series against England, Philander announced that the series would be his last series before retiring from international cricket.[2]

Vernon Philander

Philander playing for South Africa in 2012.
Personal information
Full name	Vernon Darryl Philander
Born	(1985-06-24) 24 June 1985 Bellville, Cape Province, South Africa
Nickname	VDP, Vern, Pro, V-Dawg[1]
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm fast-medium
Role	Bowling all-rounder
International information
National side	South Africa (2007–2020)
Test debut (cap 311)	9 November 2011 v Australia
Last Test	24 January 2020 v England
ODI debut (cap 86)	24 June 2007 v Ireland
Last ODI	23 August 2015 v New Zealand
ODI shirt no.	24
T20I debut (cap 29)	11 September 2007 v West Indies
Last T20I	16 December 2007 v West Indies
T20I shirt no.	24
Domestic team information
Years	Team
2001–2009	Western Province
2004	Devon
2004–present	Cape Cobras
2008	Middlesex
2012	Somerset
2013	Kent
2013	Jamaica Tallawahs
2015	Nottinghamshire
2017	Sussex
2018	Durban Heat
2019	Cape Town Blitz
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA Matches 64 30 168 129 Runs scored 1,779 151 4,941 1,418 Batting average 24.04 12.58 26.14 23.63 100s/50s 0/8 0/0 3/17 0/5 Top score 74 30* 168 79* Balls bowled 11,391 1,279 29,108 5,419 Wickets 224 41 580 129 Bowling average 22.32 24.04 21.82 32.61 5 wickets in innings 13 0 24 0 10 wickets in match 2 0 2 0 Best bowling 6/21 4/12 7/61 4/12 Catches/stumpings 17/– 6/– 41/– 12/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 28 January 2020

Domestic career

Philander was chosen for the emerging players tournament in Australia, and took 3 for 30, as well as hitting 59 off 50 balls in the final against New Zealand A. South Africa would go on to win the tournament.

Philander has played English county cricket, firstly for Middlesex in April & May 2008, Somerset in April & May 2012, and Kent in July 2013.[3]

In October 2018, he was named in Durban Heat's squad for the first edition of the Mzansi Super League T20 tournament.[4][5] In September 2019, he was named in the squad for the Cape Town Blitz team for the 2019 Mzansi Super League tournament.[6]

International career

International debut

Philander made his ODI debut on his 22nd birthday, against Ireland at Belfast. He took 4 for 12, a match-winning performance.

Philander enjoyed a tremendous start to his international career. On 9 November 2011, Philander made his Test debut against Australia, and was awarded Man of the Match after taking 5–15 in Australia's second innings,[7] in which Australia was dismissed for 47, that country's lowest completed test innings total since 1902. He was also Man of the Series, with 14 wickets at 13.92 and two five-wicket hauls across the two tests.

The following month he took five wickets in each innings in the first test of South Africa's home series against Sri Lanka. He became the fifth player in history to take five wickets in an innings in each of his first three tests.[8] These performances led to him being awarded a national contract by Cricket South Africa in January 2012.[9]

Through ranks

In the series in New Zealand which began in March 2012, Philander picked up five wickets in the first test at Dunedin, which ended a draw.[10] He followed this up with a match-winning performance in the second test at Hamilton where he picked up 4–70 and 6–44 for the second 10-wicket haul of his career.[11]

In the third test at Wellington, he excelled once again, picking up 6–81 in the first innings. During the course of this innings, he bowled New Zealand batsman Doug Bracewell for his 50th test wicket in only his 7th match, and thus became the second-fastest bowler ever to claim 50 wickets. The only bowler to get to the mark faster was Charles Turner who did it in six matches.[12] He went wicketless in the second innings as New Zealand held on for a draw.[13]

In October 2012, alongside Dale Steyn and Morné Morkel, Philander was part of a South African pace attack bowling coach and former test cricketer Allan Donald called the best the country had ever produced.[14]

In 2013, he was one of the South African bowlers who bowled out New Zealand for 45, the lowest Test Match total of the millennium. As of May 2013 he was rated by the ICC as the second-best bowler and the third-best all-rounder in the world. The best bowler and all-rounder being fellow South Africans Dale Steyn and Jacques Kallis, respectively.

On 20 December 2013, Philander took his 100th test wicket in the first test against India in Johannesburg. He needed only 19 matches to reach his 100 wickets, the joint-sixth-fastest ever. Earlier the same day he scored an anchor-innings of 59 runs (from 86 balls), batting at number 8, showing off his versatility for the Proteas. These efforts led him to achieve the number 1 ranking in ICC Test Bowling Rankings for the year 2013.

On 12 November 2016, Philander took his tenth five-wicket haul in Tests, during the second Test against Australia. Australia was bowled out for 85 runs, which was their lowest in a home Test in 32 years. This was also third time by Philander, in which the opposition has been dismissed for fewer than 100 and Philander has taken a five-for.[15]

See also

• List of international cricket five-wicket hauls by Vernon Philander
• List of South Africa cricketers who have taken five-wicket hauls on Test debut

References

1. "Vernon Philander Faces Our Quickfire Questions". Gunn & Moore on YouTube. 25 September 2017.
2. "Vernon Philander to retire after England Test series". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
3. "Kent sign South Africa all-rounder". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
4. "Mzansi Super League - full squad lists". Sport24. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
5. "Mzansi Super League Player Draft: The story so far". Independent Online. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
6. "MSL 2.0 announces its T20 squads". Cricket South Africa. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
7. "1st Test: South Africa v Australia at Cape Town, Nov 9–11, 2011". espncricinfo. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
8. McGlashan, Andrew (15 December 2011). "Philander sets up dominant South Africa". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
9. "Philander awarded national contract". ESPNcricinfo. 21 January 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
10. Fernando, Andrew. "Rain has final say in compelling Test". Cricinfo.
11. Fernando, Andrew. "Philander stars in resounding South Africa win". Cricinfo.
12. "Records / Test matches / Bowling records / Fastest to 50 wickets". Cricinfo. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
13. Fernando, Andrew (27 March 2012). "Williamson secures hard-fought draw". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
14. "Donald rates Proteas pace lineup best ever". 3 News NZ. 31 October 2012.
15. "Australia hit 32-year low at home". ESPNcricinfo.

External links

• Vernon Philander at ESPNcricinfo
• Vernon Philander at Wisden India