SOUTH Africa’s premier strike bowler, Dale Steyn, says he’s fit, fresh and hungry for another season of international cricket.
The whippy fast bowler says he spent a month in the US and three weeks in England during his long break.
“I got away from the game and nobody really recognised me. I had some close calls in New York and Las Vegas, though. I couldn’t walk into a subway or a shop in those places without an Indian or a Pakistani’s eyes lighting up as they thought they recognised me. ‘Oh, you’re Brett Lee,’ they’d say.”
Steyn has spent the past three days in Durban playing in a series of limited-overs matches against the Dolphins as the Cobras build up for the Champions League in India next month. He said he felt in good fettle for the challenges ahead, particularly the visits of Australia and Sri Lanka this summer.
Asked about the quality of the England pace attack following their 4-0 series win over India, Steyn acknowledged they were bowling well.
“They bullied a team that just didn’t look up for it,” he said bluntly. “James Anderson knows how to bowl with the Duke ball… he makes it talk, and Stuart Broad bowled a heavy ball that the Indian batsmen couldn’t handle.
“Before the series, I talked with some English journalists who said Broad could be dropped. I said to them that I wouldn’t be surprised if he had the series of his life, and that’s what happened. There’s nothing like a bit of pressure to bring the best out of a quality player.”
Asked about the thin pace bowling resources in South Africa if he or Morne Morkel were to get injured, Steyn replied with a laugh: “Come on man, we’re South Africans! I came from Phalaborwa, so I’m sure we can drag somebody else out of somewhere else.” – The Mercury