By Greg Stutchbury
WELLINGTON, March 26 (Reuters) – Standing less than six feet
tall and with a short bustling run-up, Vernon Philander is not
the prototypical fast bowler yet his accuracy, late movement
away and surprising pace has catapulted him into the record
books.
The 26-year-old, who only made his debut against Australia
last November, became the joint second fastest bowler to 50 test
wickets on Monday when he bowled New Zealand’s Doug Bracewell
for a duck.
Philander finished with six for 81, which helped the Proteas
bowl New Zealand out for 275, a deficit of 199 runs.
Philander’s sixth five-wicket haul in just his seventh test
matched that of England’s Tom Richardson, who also achieved 50
wickets in the first innings of his seventh test, in 1896.
Australia’s Charlie Turner holds the record having achieved
his 50th wicket in his sixth test in 1888.
Philander played down his efforts, preferring instead to
praise the entire bowling attack.
“Each wicket is important. It has come at a rapid pace, but
I’ll take it one pole at a time,” Philander told reporters.
“Bowling form is like batting form. If things go for you,
you make sure you keep doing it (and) that’s what I’m doing.
Continued…
