Having rebuilt his career, Vernon Philander is now riding the crest of the wave his hard work has created

Firdose Moonda19-Dec-2011Vernon Philander walked into his third post-match press conference. He has only played three Tests. Once seated, he fidgeted with his fingers, as he has done twice before, sat with his head directed downwards and his eyes avoiding anyone’s gaze. When he heard his name, he looked up, listened and in a tone as casual as a Sunday at the beach, Philander said “Media is not something that I really take note of”.Graeme Smith guffawed, almost spitting out his energy drink, perhaps wishing he could say something similar. The 10 or so reporters in the room giggled nervously. Unsure whether to fawn at the very same feet they had once found unfit for international cricket, they waited for him to continue. “What the media write up about you, you take it on the chin and move on,” Philander said. “Soak it all in and go back to the drawing board to start again.”Relief. Success has not serenaded Philander just yet.He listened, unconcerned, when told he was that he had become the first South African to take four five-wicket hauls in his first three Tests. The numbers swam around in the air, failing to catch Philander’s eye. The only time the conference seemed to really grab him was when Smith spoke to directly to him, almost as a father would. “I would love to you to keep on bowling the way you are now but you know there are tougher times around the corner,” Smith said. Philander nodded.

“Vern is level-headed enough to know that there will be tougher times ahead. He has had enough ups and downs in his career to know that it’s not always going to be easy.”Graeme Smith

He knows, but does he really know? Already Philander’s extraordinary success is being attributed to the helpful South African tracks. He is being condemned before even setting in foot in places like the sub-continent (where South Africa are not scheduled to tour until 2014) and has been warned that outside his home country the roads will become far flatter, literally.Managing a bowler with a Midas touch is a simple, almost non-existent task, as Smith confirmed. “There’s a lot of motivation for Vernon at the moment and he understands his skill pretty well, which makes my job easier,” he said. But preparing him for when the magic fades is a far more delicate and complicated matter, something which Allan Donald will be tasked with handling.”For me, I’ve got to be on Vernon’s shoulder now,” Donald said. “I’ve been through it before, when you’re going through the golden spell, and you don’t really care about how it’s happening.” Donald’s entire career was a bathed in sunshine – there was only one Test in his total of 72 in which he did not take a wicket so he knows how to ride the highs and has this advice for Philander. “He needs to understand why it’s happening, why he is swinging the ball and why he has such good control. Because when Mr bad form arrives at some stage, he will probably come to me and ask me what’s going on.”One of the reasons for Philander’s current achievements has been the conditions and both Smith and Donald have gently reminded him that he won’t always have these pitches to bowl on. Another reason is the amount of time he spent in the first-class game, redeveloping himself as a cricketer.When Philander was dropped from the national team, in 2008, he spent two seasons concentrating on the SuperSport Series, where he took 80 wickets. When the franchise team wasn’t playing, he turned out for the amateur side and in total captured 94 wickets in two seasons at an average of little above 13. In essence, he did his time and learnt the hard way that being an international sportsman is not something that happens by accident and that mediocrity is not a quality that cuts it at the highest level.Those two seasons polished Philander’s rough edges and turned him into the finished product that has taken to Test cricket with such ease. Philander hardly talks about them, even when prompted, but Smith knows he will refer back to it when five-wicket hauls become fewer and further apart.”Vern is level-headed enough to know that there will be tougher times ahead, he has played a lot of cricket. He has had enough ups and downs in his career to know that it’s not always going to be easy and that there are different surfaces around the world that will challenge him.”Philander has already agreed a contract with Somerset, which he will take up if he does not receive an IPL offer next year, to prepare him for South Africa’s three-Test series against England. As his third post-match press conference drew to a close, Philander was asked about the lure of overseas leagues and the demand he may soon find himself in. He shrugged. Then he mumbled something and got ready to leave.