Rampaging Vernon not carried away by media attention

Pretoria: Proteas seamer Vernon Philander has said that he is not fazed by all the sudden media attention after his sensational start to Test cricket.

Named Man of the Match on Saturday for his ten-wicket haul in the opening Test between South Africa and Sri Lanka at the Centurion, Philander is the first South African to take four five-wicket hauls in his first three Test matches and only the fourth bowler in history to achieve the feat. He joins Rodney Hogg for Australia, who debuted against England in 1978, took five five-wicket hauls while Thomas Richardson (England in 1893) and Charles Turner (Australia in 1887) both took four. "I’m not records-driven. I’m more process-driven and if I can take the team over the line then I’m more than happy with that," Philander was quoted as saying. The 26-year-old from Bellville in Cape Town, made his debut against Australia at Newlands in November where he took 5-15 with Australia famously all out for 47, and 5-70 in the tourists’ second innings the Wanderers. "You have to acknowledge that you’re not always going to bowl well," said Philander after his dream start. He added: "When things don’t go so well, you have to take it on the chin and go back to the drawing board and start again." Proteas captain Graeme Smith said Philander was self-motivated and did not require any extra prodding from his captain. ANI