South Afr𝓡ica paceman Vernon Philander has played his last Test in Johannesburg against ꧑England and will now retire from international cricket.
Philander, 34, played 101 mat𒆙ches across all three formats, picking up a total of 269 wickets since making his debut with a T20I game against Ireland on June 24, 2007.
In his farewell Test, the last of the four-match series, he could not help South Africa win as the hosts lost to England by 191 runs, but the ace medium-fast bowler൩ was applauded by his teammates, wife Mandy Hudson and Proteas support-staff after he walked back to the pavilion for the last ti𝕴me.
An emotional moment for 💞has he leaves the Test arena for the final time in his career 🇿🇦👋
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV)
Philander had announced before the start of the ser𒊎ies that it would be his last in international cricket. In the fourth Test at the Wanderers, he took two wickets in the first innings and remained wicketless in the second in which he bowled just 1.3 overs. The Big Vern scored 4 and 10 in both innings.
A l♛ap of honour forꦓ Vernon Philander after playing Test cricket at his home ground of Newlands for the final time 🙌
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo)
