Philander gets fifty after Lopsy's four
Vernon Philander scored his first half-century in South Africa whites as the second day of their drawn tour match against Derbyshire was dominated by bowlers in Derby on Saturday.
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In complete contrast to day one, on which more than 400 runs were scored and five wickets fell, both attacks had success with the ball.
The South Africans, led by Lonwabo Tsotsobe, took eight wickets in the morning session before Derbyshire picked up six in the middle period, as the tourists gave their lower order an opportunity to bat. Philander batted at number seven and survived being hit in the nether regions by Ross Whiteley to post a good score and justify the claim that he could become an allrounder.
Apart from a stoic contribution of 26 from replacement gloveman Thami Tsolekile, South Africa's other fringe players and bowlers struggled with bat in hand. Faf du Plessis was out in the first over, missing a straight one from Mark Footitt, who took four wickets.
Robin Peterson's full-blooded cut was caught by Matt Lineker, who dived full length at gully to stop a ball that was destined to find the boundary. Morne Morkel shuffled across his stumps and was trapped lbw, Imran Tahir offered a more straightforward chance to Lineker and Albie Morkel top-edged Jonathan Clare.
Tsolekile withstood the damage and lasted 61 balls. He showed significant composure in an innings that could have ended much earlier, given the movement on offer. Eventually, he was done for by it and bowled by South Africa-born Tim Groenewald.
Philander had an easier time at the crease and played shots freely. Despite being hit and appearing in some pain, he has been declared fully fit. Dale Steyn partnered him and made a score of substance for the first time on the tour.
In the morning session, Steyn bowled only five overs as Tsotsobe stole the show with his four scalps, including two in three balls. Tsolekile also enjoyed a good outing and pouched five catches.
It was Philander who struck in his first over when he removed Usman Khawaja. The Australia left-hander may have seen the day as an opportunity to nudge his national selectors ahead of South Africa's tour later in the year but only added one to his overnight score of 36 before inside-edging a good length ball through to the keeper.
Derbyshire's other South Africa-born player, opening batsman Wayne Madsen was next to go. He feathered a leg-side Morne Morkel delivery to Tsolekile, who took his third catch. Tsolekile took two more, off Tsotosbe's bowling, after Graeme Smith caught Dan Redfern at slip, also off the left-armer.
Tsotsobe was, before today, best remembered in England for a petulant display when he represented Essex last season. It was during a game against Derby that Tsotsobe bowled off a few paces and behaved in a disinterested fashion, before being released from his contract and told to return home.
Instead of continuing in that vein, a more disciplined Tsotsobe turned up this time, bowling a consistent line and length and troubling the batsmen with subtle movement of the ball. More impressive than that, was his evident commitment. Tsostosbe is on his second tour with the test squad and, although he has little chance of breaking into the starting XI, he appears to have made progression with his bowling, particularly in the pace department.
Smith took another good catch, after it seemed the ball had gone past him at slip, off Tahir's bowling. Allan Donald, South Africa's bowling coach, will be pleased that Tahir did not bowl a single no-ball in the Derbyshire innings after struggling with overstepping in the previous two Tests.
Whiteley was the only Derbyshire batsmen to make an impact and struck a composed half-century. The highlights of his knock included three sixes off Robin Peterson, who was the most expensive of the South African attack.
Courtesy of ESPNCricInfo
Report Day 1
DERBYSHIRE: WL Madsen (capt), MS Lineker, UT Khawaja, WJ Durston, DJ Redfern, RA Whiteley, RM Johnson (wk), DJ Wainwright, AL Hughes, MHA Footitt, M Higginbottom, JL Clare, PI Burgoyne
SOUTH AFRICA XI: GC Smith* (capt), JA Rudolph, HM Amla, JH Kallis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, F du Plessis, M Morkel, DW Steyn, VD Philander, Imran Tahir, TL Tsolekile (wk), JA Morkel, LL Tsotsobe, RJ Peterson
