Speed, swing, accuracy and fiery Dale Steyn

In cricket imagination, the fire from the fast bowler is one of the romances a cricket writer can tell. Only three countries consistently helped a writer to pen down a dreamy article on Malcolm Marshal in the past and in later on Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath; and in the 1990’s on the lethal Pakistani bowlers.

Nowadays, cricket looks for a consistent fast bowler who has ability to be great. In the year 2004, a rookie Dale Steyn emerged in International cricket against England. He took just four Tests to let the world know the emergence of a great fast bowler from the land of South Africa. Yes, the stylish cricketer, who is fan’s delight but batsmen’s threat, kept the promise he showed one decade ago. 

Dale Steyn has become the second South African bowlers to claim the four hundred Test wicket; and overall the 13 the bowlers.

In the 80^th match of his career against Bangladesh he joins legendry Richard Hadlee to be the secodn topper in the elite list bowlers who took 400 wickets in Test. The list is topped by Sri Lankan off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan. With this rare achievement Steyn enters the list of all time bowling greats. Cricket got many batting legend, but only 13 bowlers managed to make a long match defining career; and Steyn is one of them.  

The gifted fast bowler, who has all characteristic a fast bowler use to have, took fewest balls to celebrate 400 wickets. He with a lowest strike rate 41.61 is among the four bowling legends who reached the 400 wickets mark.

Steyn is consistent with fast bowling which is blended with swing and accuracy. According to Allan Donald Steyn is one of the bowlers who wake up with a dream to execute in the pitch, and he goes to sleep with the job done. He is a prism through one rookie bowlers can see the life in cricket.     

After the departure of Shaun Pollock and Makhaya  Ntini  South Africa needed   a man who can carry forward the legacy of South African fast bowling. Steyn come up with more what South Africa used to have, in his last 79 matches South Africa lost only one fourth of Test. His fiery fast bowling was worth watching for every cricket fans cutting across the boundaries.  

He played vital role in South Africa’s world conquering Test team in 2009 when South Africa has grabbed number one spot in ICC Test ranking.

Caption: Dale Steyn bowling against West Indies Sahara Park Newlands on January 05, 2015 in Cape Town

Dale Steyn is among those South African bowlers who put the batsmen of the world in one corner though out their career, but did not live up to the expectation in the multilateral tournament – the World Cup.

But, after being exited from the semifinal in rain affected match against New Zealand the aggressive bowler suffered ache which makes him weary and lethargic.  

Since then, Steyn is not in his best form. He dropped his aggressive attitude that is the core of a great fast bowler.   

 Being  fovourite before the World Cup 2015, and rain once again has thrown his team in the wrong side of the defeat. Grant Eliot sent Steyn delivery over the long-on for six, a devastated Steyn broke down on the pitch as South Africa exited from the World Cup.  Since then, he never shown aggression, in IPL he was benched most of the time.  

With historic Indian series to start in November, everybody will wait to see a Dale Steyn delivering fire to Indian batsmen in slow Indian pitch. But, there is reason to be worried as he is on the wrong side of 30s.

“Once you are on the wrong side of 30, you have to work harder to stay on the field a lot longer. Both recent coaches, Gary Kirsten and Russell Domingo, have looked after him and his workload really well. We have to understand that after a period of rest, you need some time to get back to full swing,” Donald told cricinfo.

“But Dale is fighting his way back. Top sportsmen always find a way and he will too. He has a lot left. He is so lean and light on his feet that he can keep going for a good while yet,” he added.

 #1 Dale Steyn, South Africa

Match	Innings	Balls	Runs	Wickets	Average	Economy	Strike rate	5ws/Innings	10ws/Test
80	149	16661	9027	400	22.58	3.25	41.6	25	5

 

#2 Richard Hadlee, New Zealand

Match	Innings	Balls	Runs	Wickets	Average	Economy	Strike rate	5ws/Innings	10ws/Test
86	150	21918	9611	431	22.29	2.63	50.8	36	9

 

#3 Glenn McGrath, Australia

Match	Innings	Balls	Runs	Wickets	Average	Economy	Strike rate	5ws/Innings	10ws/Test
124	243	29248	12186	563	21.64	2.49	51.9	29	3

 

#4 Wasim Akram, Pakistan

Match	Innings	Balls	Runs	Wickets	Average	Economy	Strike rate	5ws/Innings	10ws/Test
104	181	22627	9779	414	23.62	2.59	54.6	25	5

 

Nobody wants a 32 year talent die down to ache of World Cup defeat. Winning World Cup is a feather on the illustrative career, but if one has to nod head before the destiny, it can’t dwarf his triumph achieved toiling hard in the pitch across the world.   

A fast bowler with five hundred wicket look stupendously respectable and whacking, so with 20 Test away from 100 Test mark Dale Steyn, the Phalaborwa man, will come back with a bowling which comprises of speed, swing and accuracy.