SPORTS

Dale Steyn

A Cricketing Version of Robert Bruce

Gp Capt Achchyut Kumar

It is not without reason that Dale Steyn is ranked as the number one bowler in the world in tests. Actually, India's winning the second Test of the two-test series against South Africa during the recently concluded test series and the Indian enthusiasm of ending the year as the world's top test team deprived much of the cricket publicity that Dale would have otherwise received. The 2008 ICC's Cricketer of the Year is the fastest South African to reach the 100 wicket mark in test cricket and after the end of the Indian tour he is just four wickets shy of reaching the 200 wicket mark. With 196 wickets in 38 tests at 23.51 runs a piece and a strike rate of 38.9; a rate bettered by only three other bowlers in the entire history of test cricket, Dale Steyn is a feared opponent in any class of cricket.

With the ability to bowl at speeds of over 150 kmph, swing the ball and also 'reverse swing' the old ball, Steyn is a complete fast bowler who will be feared by any batsman anywhere in the world. However, despite his impressive record, it is rather strange that Styen never had a good beginning at whatever level he entered to play. Steyn made his test debut on December 17, 2004 against England and took eight wickets at an unimpressive average of 52.00. Worse was yet to follow when he was dropped after the fourth test of the series because of his poor bowling. When Dale went out to bowl for South Africa for the first time in the one-day internationals on January 20, 2006 against Australia, he came up with yet another disappointing performance and was dropped after one more match against Sri Lanka.

The Dale history of first class matches has been no different. He made his first class debut for Northerns on October 17, 2003 and was more of a disappointment. However, he was impressive the next year and got a call to play against England in 2004. It was a similar story even in the English county cricket for Dale Steyn. Playing for Essex he performed no better than a part-time bowler bagging just 14 wickets in seven matches at an average of almost 60 runs per wicket only to come back strongly for Warwickshire two years later. In 2008, Dale Steyn played for the Royal Challengers in the Indian Premier League and we all know where the team ended in the tournament that season.

Dale Willem Steyn

D.O.B.: June 27, 1983
Height: 5'11"
Batting style: Right-handed
Bowling style: Right-arm fast
Fastest South African to reach 100 wickets in Test matches, a feat
he achieved on 2 March 2008 in his 20th match
Second fastest South African, behind Hugh Tayfield to reach 150
wickets in Test matches,
which he achieved in his 29th match

Dale Steyn's story, therefore, is a story of comebacks though unlike the historical Robert Bruce he had no spider for inspiration. Today, Dale's inclusion among the all-time greatest pace bowlers is a foregone conclusion. However, with several glorious performances as a bowler, there is little doubt that the most glorious moment in Dale's career would be his record ninth wicket partnership of 180 with J.P. Duminy against Australia. Matching stroke for stroke with his senior batting partner, Steyn scored 76 runs. With bowling figures of 5 for 87 and 5 for 67 in the same match, Dale was the unarguable Man of the Match for the test match. It was the third time that Dale had won a Man of the Match award in test matches though the earlier two were largely because of his bowling merits against New Zealand in a series totally dominated by Steyn; he claimed 20 wickets in two Tests at an unbelievable average of 9.2 per wicket.

Born in Phalaborwa, in the state of Transvaal of South Africa, Dale has had an enviable cricketing career so far. Strangely enough, his test cricket bowling average is a shade better than his first class bowling average. It is proof enough that Dale is a better performer when the competition is more and he is forced to think a little more. Dale has all the batting talent and he has demonstrated this on a number of vital occasions. He has now only to think a little more that he can be more than just a bowler and there is little doubt that Dale will bloom into an all rounder. Dale played U-19 cricket as an opener, he has just got to believe that he can do that even as a senior.

Gp Capt Achchyut Kumar is General Manager with Forbes & Company Ltd, Mumbai. Since he began writing for THE TEENAGER in 1974, he has contributed over 70 articles and 10 cover stories even while moving all around India during his tenure with the IAF.