Is Vernon Philander the next big thing?

amer

Norm Smith Medallist
Joined
Nov 26, 2005
Posts
6,967
Likes
1,992
AFL Club
Adelaide
Other Teams
Holy Ghost's big o
Thread starter #1
FC record: 71 matches, 265 wickets at 19.72

Sitting on match figures of 8/79 against the Lankans at the moment with four poles still to fall, after ripping through our side recently. He looks good. He looks very good. A lot of calls are made far too early on players, but whatever. Is Philander the next big thing? I think he is. I think South Africa have found the best pace pairing the cricket world has seen for quite some time.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Gazza_11

Premiership Player
Joined
Mar 2, 2010
Posts
3,319
Likes
5
AFL Club
Melbourne
#4
FC batting average of 27 too, from 99 innings.

Interestingly his bowling stats for the shorter forms aren't too flash. But he does look like he'll rival Steyn as SA's best test bowler in the coming years. Morkel(s), McLaren, Theron and Parnell go alright too.
 

dumb

i shit blue
Joined
Jul 12, 2008
Posts
9,909
Likes
3,171
Location
Vic
AFL Club
Carlton
#5
3 tests is very early to say he'll be a star. you want 6 innings to bowl, 4 at aus and 2 at sri lanka at home would be a dream. if he can knock india over in india like steyn can though... well it would be hard to argue against.

duminy was also the next big thing. now nowhere near the team.
 

Simple Jack

Norm Smith Medallist
Joined
Jan 25, 2011
Posts
8,990
Likes
4,143
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
St Kilda
Other Teams
Webber, Ricciardo, NE Patriots
#7
Certainly looks promising, but as has been said bowling to the current Australian batting order would be a dream to any fast bowler, and the Lankans aren't much chop either.

I did like how during the Aus v SA series when Steyn was working our batsmen over at one end, Philander wasn't letting them get comfortable at the other end.

Btw, the other day my mum who doesn't follow cricket (or any sport really) at all asked me if they (radio or something) were talking about Philander.

I was dumbfounded but it turns out she's friends with his Dad.
 

DrVanNostrand

Premiership Player
Joined
Dec 14, 2011
Posts
4,062
Likes
2,990
Location
129 West 81st
AFL Club
Gold Coast
#8
The guy bowls an imaculate line and length. Perfect bowling for the conditions he's always played on in First-Class cricket and now Test cricket. And his two next series are in New Zealand and England, both of which generally provide helpful conditions for the seamers (except for places like Lord's or Naiper). As a NZ fan myself, I was already scared enough of Steyn and Tahir tearing our batting apart, and Philander looks like he can be just as good as Steyn.
 

The Passenger

Mr. Mojo Risin'
Joined
Mar 25, 2003
Posts
30,218
Likes
16,807
Location
Hasa Diga Eebowai
AFL Club
West Coast
#9
he looked brilliant in the series against us.

couldn't believe when i saw his first class stats. can't believe he couldn't get a go infront of tsotsobe who is pretty ordinary.

if imran tahir repredouces what he does in the first arena in test cricket they are looking at having one of the all time great attack.s
 
Joined
Jul 12, 2001
Posts
37,782
Likes
5,424
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
Gold Coast
#11
Bloody hell. He got another Michelle! This guy is unbelievable.

3 Tests, 4 Michelles, 1 10WM and 2 MOTMs :eek:

Third player in history to take 4 x 5WI in his first 3 Tests, the last player having done so 118 years ago.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Simple Jack

Norm Smith Medallist
Joined
Jan 25, 2011
Posts
8,990
Likes
4,143
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
St Kilda
Other Teams
Webber, Ricciardo, NE Patriots
#12
And look at thier batting line up
Reindeer - Young guy, yet to show his ability
Smith - Good batsman
Amwaaa - Gun.
Kallis - Gun.
AB - Gun.
Prince - Very solid player.
Boucher - Great keeper, gritty batsman.

There is no doubt they should be the number 1 team in the world. By a fair margin too.

Mentally tough as tissue paper though.
 

glenferry23

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Apr 26, 2010
Posts
20,309
Likes
23,263
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Other Teams
Arsenal, New York Yankees
#18
terrific start to his test career following some very impressive first class figures. steyn and philander are just about the best opening attack in the world already, they complement each other beautifully. philander moves the ball both ways and is always at the batsmen. long way to go as yet of course but he certainly has all of the characteristics to go on and have a fantastic test career
 
Joined
Sep 27, 2011
Posts
349
Likes
106
Location
Melborune
AFL Club
Essendon
#20
SA dont even need a spinner
Seriously, Steyn, Philander, Morkel and Parnell are all capable of taking down a side

i wish i was a south african, they have a seriously strong side, with decent depth
 

Stan Darsh

Team Captain
Joined
May 29, 2011
Posts
501
Likes
85
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
North Melbourne
#22
Fantastic line and length. Got to the point where I was disappointed when other ballers had gotten the Sri Lankans out, Philander could have walked away with whatever figures he wanted.
 

Jimthegreat

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Oct 5, 2004
Posts
13,343
Likes
5,067
Location
Geelong
AFL Club
Carlton
Other Teams
Carlton
#24
Put his early Test career on top of his first class record and it suggests he won't be a flash in the pan. Looks and absolute star. He did well bowling to the lottery that is the Australian batting line-up. It's either decent like the one that chased down 310 or horrible like the one that got bowl out for 47 and also collapsed against NZ.

I'm surprised SA aren't better than they are. Best bowling line-up going anywhere, batting decent yet the only time that did anything against Australia in the whole series was the crazy hour they bowled us out for 47. Behind on both first inning and if we batted even half decent in that 47 we win 2-0. Almost ridiculous. They should be way,way better. They're better than us on paper.
 
Top Bottom