Ricky Ponting: Philander was difficult to play

The hosts were blown away for 85 in the first innings of the second Test in Hobart with Philander taking five for 21 in 10.1 overs for his 10th Test five-wicket haul.

 “He (Philander) is probably the hardest I faced in world cricket with those type of conditions because you don't get any visual clues with the swinging ball,” former skipper Ponting told Australian channel BT Sports.

“Most other guys when there's movement, the ball actually swings in the air first and you have some sort of idea of which way the ball is going to go. He doesn't swing the ball at all. It comes out of his hand dead straight and he doesn't know which way it's going to go off the pitch either,” he added.

Ponting was dismissed twice by Philander in the four Tests he played against the South African. 

“So, you sort of end up trying to find and feel for which way the ball is going to go. We saw a couple of replays today (where) the release was exactly the same on two balls in a row. They landed in almost exactly the same spot, one seamed away and the other one seamed in. He's just a class act when the ball is seaming,” Ponting added.