Steyn closing in on Polly’s record

South Africa's Dale Steyn bowls during the third day game of second Test match between Pakistan and South Africa at Gaddafi cricket stadium in Lahore Pakistan 10 October 2007. EPA/RAHAT DAR

South Africa's Dale Steyn bowls during the third day game of second Test match between Pakistan and South Africa at Gaddafi cricket stadium in Lahore Pakistan 10 October 2007. EPA/RAHAT DAR

Published Jul 30, 2015

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Dhaka – It is official. Dale Steyn’s legendary status in world cricket has been printed in the sand.

Playing in only his 80th Test, Steyn is now the joint-fastest seam bowler to have claimed 400 wickets, achieved on the first morning of the second Test when Tamim Iqbal top-edged a wide delivery to Proteas captain Hashim Amla at first slip.

 

 For a hero known for his legendary crazy eyes, vein-popping and wild hair celebrations it was all rather tame though when the seminal moment arrived. Instead of the usual first-pumping antics there was only a stroll down the wicket to accept the acknowledgement of his teammates and a little twirl of the arms as he took off that silly retro headband to let his hair down for a bit.

 

The greatest outward display of emotion actually came for the usually emotionless Amla, who was the first to embrace him with the mother of all bear hugs.  

 

Steyn’s anti-climatic reaction perhaps had more to do with the fact that it was by no means the greatest delivery of his career – wide and full – and that he may have been little irritated at having to wait through an extra Vernon Philander over and another three balls from himself to finally join New Zealand’s Sir Richard Hadlee on the podium.

 

In Steyn’s previous over, Tamim, who boldly declared in the build-up to this second Test that "I have to play my shots. If I get out trying to play my preferred shots, I will not be disappointed” unleashed a booming drive, only for it to fly off a thick edge towards the slip cordon.

 

Besides Amla, South Africa have glut of new faces behind the wicket, none fresher than wicket-keeper Dane Vilas. The ball though flew wider than the reach of the debutant Cape Cobras gloveman, who replaced the out-of-form Quinton de Kock, and closer to the boot laces of second slip Dean Elgar.

 

 Although Elgar managed to get both hands down to the flying edge, the chance went a begging and Tamim was offered a reprieve that he failed to capitalise on. Live by the sword die, by the sword as they say.

 

  Like Tamim, Morne Morkel was equally bullish in the lead-up to this series-decider, promising the Bangladeshi batsmen a ferocious onslaught after the drab first Test in Chittagong. "It's time for us now to step it up a bit and show why we are the No.1 team in the world," Morkel said. "We have had a look at their batting line-up again and we are going to go with different plans."

 

 The change of tactics from the South Africans this morning came in the form of greater usage of the short ball, led of course by the lanky Morkel.

 

In just his second over, Morkel struck Mominul Haque with a nasty bouncer on the side of the side of his helmet. Such was the severe impact that the ball ricocheted all the way to the third man boundary.

 

For all the roughing up of the Bangladeshis there was no further success for South Africa on this first morning though.

 

Steyn returned for a second burst but could not find a way to move closer to Shaun Pollock’s South African all-time record of 419 wickets as Mominul and Imrul Kayes put up a resolute defence for the remainder of the first session.

 

Fastest to 400 Test Wickets:

 

72: Muttiah Muralitharan (SL) v Zimbabwe, Galle, 12 Jan 2002

80: Dale Steyn (SA) v Bangladesh, Dhaka, 30 Jul 2015

80: Richard Hadlee (NZ) v India, Christchurch, 2 Feb 1990

85: Anil Kumble (India) v Australia, Bangalore, 6 Oct 2004

87: Glenn McGrath (Aus) v Pakistan, Sharjah, 19 Oct 2002 

92: Shane Warne (Aus) v England, The Oval, 23 Aug 2001

96: Wasim Akram (Pak) v Sri Lanka, Colombo (SSC), 14 Jun 2000

96: Harbhajan Singh (India) v West Indies, Roseau, 6 Jul 2011

97: Curtly Ambrose (WI) v England, Leeds, 17 Aug 2000     

103: Shaun Pollock (SA) v India, Johannesburg, 15 Dec 2006

 

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