CENTURION: Dale Steyn became South Africa’s all-time leading Testwicket-taker when Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman became his 422nd victim on thefirst day of the first Test at SuperSport Park at Wednesday.
Zaman’s dismissal brought to an end more than three years of frustrationduring which the fast bowler missed no fewer than 27 Test matches becauseof injury.
Steyn was mobbed by his teammates after Zaman (12) edged the ball to DeanElgar at third slip, reducing Pakistan to 17 for two after winning the tossand batting first.
Shaun Pollock, the previous holder of the record, was quick to praise hissuccessor, describing him during a television commentary as “an absolutelybrilliant performer, an absolute champion and a true leader of the attack”.
Slightly built, with a lithe, athletic action, Steyn at his best wascapable of bowling at 150kmh, with late away swing accounting for many ofthe world’s leading batsmen. When conditions did not suit express pace hedeveloped an impressive array of cutters and became a master of reverseswing with the old ball.
Ironically, before a groin strain ruled him out of action midway through aTest in India, Steyn had been remarkably durable for a fast bowler, playingin 48 consecutive Tests from December 2009 to November 2015, during whichhe took 232 wickets at an average of 21.72 and dominated the InternationalCricket Council Test rankings for bowlers. He spent a record 263 weeks inthe top spot.
Steyn took his 400th Test wicket in his 80th Test in July 2015 — thesecond-fastest in the world to reach the milestone — and it seemedPollock’s record was about to fall.
But four serious injuries delayed what had seemed imminently inevitable.
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The groin injury in India was followed by a shoulder injury during thefirst Test against England in December 2015 and, after a brief comeback, amore serious shoulder injury against Australia in November 2016 caused himto miss 15 Tests.
Just when it seemed he had made a full recovery, he suffered a freak heelinjury in the first Test against India in January this year, which causedhim to miss the remaining Tests against India and a series againstAustralia.
After a slow recovery, Steyn, 35, spent time with English county Hampshireand returned to Test cricket in an unproductive series in Sri Lanka duringwhich he took only two wickets in two Tests to be stuck level with Pollock.
Steyn is now 11th on his own on the all-time world list, needing to matchNew Zealand’s Richard Hadlee on 431 to claim a place in the top ten.
Steyn has had success in all Test-playing countries in taking five wicketsin an innings on 26 occasions, with five ten-wicket match hauls. – APP/AFP
