http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Jason-Fred-Brown-c66434 steak that tastes good - Part 2 - Opinion
It is often said that bowlers would need to pick up tallies of six or five wickets in ensuring that games are won and the opposition is completely outplayed in the end. That belief however becomes immaterial in modern times as what is equally significant
are contributions made in patches by players who could make inroads or score valuable runs which prove to be invaluable. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Chinnadupargea-Sachin-c50607 Tendulkar’s notoriety with the ball in ODI cricket for example, helped him pick up valuable wickets and break partnerships, when
the onus was against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 to win. This was in spite of the fact that Tendulkar was not a regular bowler. Similarly, Ramnaresh Sarwan’s quick fire forty or fifty in Test matches would prove to be the ideal foil for Brian Lara’s belligerence in defying the
opposition of an advantage over the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Neil-Killeen-c79132 instinct.
With an attack which boasts the likes of Morkel and Steyn, it can be argued that South Africa could not have asked for a better bowler to perform for them when the going gets tough. With veterans such as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/JH-Kallis-c1692 weathering off due to age, a player
such as Philander has managed to fill in the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/James-Peter-Hewitt-c66001 of being a genuine strike bowler. The new ball could be entrusted with Philander no matter what the occasion is or demands. Few bowlers of his time have had the ability to hit the seam and make the ball deviate
both ways on a length which is considered to be disturbing by some of the most astute batsmen. Philander however, hits the corridor of uncertainty with ease as a click of the wrists and a whirling front on action, and has managed to dislodge many batsmen unlike
Morkel and Steyn, who had frightened the socks out of the opposition.
Philander would be revered and worshipped forever for his devastating five wicket haul in the last innings of the grand finale of the Investec Series of 2012. Chasing 346 to secure a one all score line in the Test series, England were well on course to achieve
the unthinkable. Matt Prior’s silken cover drives and Stuart Broad’s punchy play managed to ensure that http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 were well and truly in the hunt on the hallow turf of Lord's, after their top order was blown away by Vernon Philander. 'Cometh the hour, cometh
the man' was the best way to sum up Philander’s performance and role in that all important second innings as half centuries from Prior and invaluable contributions from http://www.senore.com/Cricket/GP-Swann-c1501 ensured that England were just 52 runs adrift of retaining
their number one rank in Test cricket. The new ball was available, and after Steyn got peppered in his first crack with the new cherry, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/GC-Smith-c1473, gave the ball to Philander with just two wickets remaining. It proved to be a canny decision that reaped rewards
in the end.
The corridor of uncertainty was hit with impunity as Philander managed to kiss the outside edge of Prior’s bat with the ball thudding into Smith’s bucket like hands. South Africa could sniff victory and a chance to be reigned as champions in the longest
version of the game. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ian-Douglas-Fisher-c63819 outside the off stump as England folded to just 294. Philander had secured five wickets in that innings and became the reason why the multi-coloured flag flied high in the UK amid constant
criticism of cracking under pressure.
To have him in the side is thus rewarding for any team, let alone South Africa. The only real challenge for Philander would be to perform with the same ruthlessness in the subcontinent, where swing bowlers have been belted with impunity. For now however,
South Africa would be buoyed over the fact that they have a player that performs when the occasion demands it.
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