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When Australia began its Test series against South Africa, one of the intrigues was how Australia’s often much-maligned batting line-up would fare against South Africa’s bowling attack.
The South African side contained the two best fast bowlers in the world, Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander.
Steyn, the number one ranked bowler in the world, took six wickets in the opening Test, but he didn’t prevent Australia going one up.
Centuries from Shaun Marsh, Steve Smith, David Warner and a brutal 12-wicket haul to Mitchell Johnson ensured an Australian victory.
However, in the second Test Steyn ripped through Australia’s batting order in the second innings with 4/55, courtesy of reverse swing, therefore levelling the series.
In the third and final Test, after bowling just 10 overs in the first innings, a hamstring injury sidelined Steyn for the rest of the innings.
In the second innings, Steyn only bowled three overs.
Injury did ruin Steyn’s effectiveness in the deciding Test.
He picked up 12 wickets at an average of 26.41 in the series.
It makes you wonder what might have been if injury hadn’t struck.
In contrast, Steyn’s partner in crime Philander had an ordinary time.
Prior to this series, Philander was ranked the number two in the world and was a bowler to be feared.
Three Tests later, Philander’s reputation has been lowered.
He took only seven wickets at an average of 51.71.
Ouch! A far cry from his career average of 18 before the series.
Sure, Philander has only played 23 Tests and, as such, it is not a big sample size to judge a player’s career.
Philander’s hugely disappointing series was one of the key reasons why South Africa got beaten by Australia, particularly in the first and final Tests.
Looking through Philander’s short time in Test cricket, the one country that has given him trouble is Australia.
Philander, in seven Tests, has taken 25 wickets at 30.24, ten runs higher compared to his career average of 20.11.
The nearest country that provides Philander “some” trouble is England, against whom he has taken 12 wickets at 23.66.
Philander isn’t the only bowler in Test cricket history that has had trouble with one “bogey” side.
Legendary Australian leg spinner Shane Warne had an awful time against India.
In his career, Warne took more than 700 wickets at an average of just over 25.
However, against India in 14 Tests he only took 43 wickets at a woeful average of more than 47, a whopping 22 runs higher than his career average.
But the one key difference between Philander and Warne is the strength of the batting line-ups they bowled to.
Warne bowled to world-class players who knew how to play leg spin.
Players like Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, V.V.S. Laxman and Sourav Ganguly … the list is endless.
India’s batting line-up throughout Warne’s career was a vaunted one, especially in India.
Out of that list of players, Tendulkar holds the record for most Test runs with 15,921, Dravid has in excess of 13,000 runs, while others like Sehwag and Laxman have more than 8000 runs.
In comparison, Philander caught the back end of Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey’s time in the baggy green.
Both players were past their best.
In the past two series, Philander has bowled against batsmen who many would questioned are not up to Test standard.
Players like Ed Cowan, Marsh, Rob Quiney and Alex Doolan just to name a few.
Those four batsmen have struggled to reach a first class batting average of well over 40.
Cowan has the best average out of that quartet with 40.15
Australia’s current top six of Chris Rogers, Warner, Doolan, Michael Clarke, Smith and Shane Watson is not exactly world class.
With only three players averaging over 40, this author would probably rate the top six around five out of ten.
And that is being nice to Australia’s top order.
So if Philander had difficulty with Australia’s current batting line-up, which at times can be fragile and immune to a collapses at any time, imagine how he would have gone against Australia eight or nine years ago?
He would have faced Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Ponting, Damien Martyn, Clarke, Hussey, and Adam Gilchrist.
They were all averaging around the late forties to well over fifty.
Philander looks like a bowler who needs favourable pitch and weather conditions which allow him to move the ball both ways and also attack the stumps.
To be a champion bowler you need to be successful anywhere, any time and in any conditions.
Having said that Philander was up against an opener like Warner, who does put pressure back on the bowlers, and Clarke, with his intensity of aggressive stroke play and quick scoring.
Many other openers in world cricket don’t possess this talent, hence Philander has been successful against other countries.
Can Philander fight back against Australia in future series?
Absolutely.
He just needs to work out different strategies and bowling plans in order to be successful.
But as a cricket fan, when a bowler takes over 100 wickets and averages less then 20 in 20 Tests, you expect something better, especially against Australia’s average batting line-up.
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