When Dale Steyn is in prime form, it spells disaster for the opposition. He has that beautiful essence of a fast bowler: menacing, serious face and a touch of grace as he eases into the run-up. Then, the prominent swing comes into place and he leaves youngsters with a lot to ponder in terms of technique when the final inspection is done. Then the spontaneous celebrations.
This is describing Steyn at his best.
Yet the past year we have had nothing to rave about. As age has caught up with the fast bowler him, the relentless pull-outs have taken the bark out of the bite and the lion’s share of the bowling was thrust upon the youngster Kagiso Rabada (Steyn played just six out of 10 tests). The technical deficiencies were brutally exposed and pundits were already harping his retirement.
The South African has fielded plenty of blows due to groin and shoulder injuries, as well as being left out of the tour to the Caribbean, with the provoking reason to get game-time before Australia in November.
But he still had his charm, the talent in abundance and the hunger to set the world on fire. It was just getting overs under the belt and getting used to the relentless challenges of bowling a lot of overs.
The old Steyn is back
There were still doubts lingering about his match-fitness when he was duly named in the team for the first Test against the Kiwis at Kingsmead. But, as always, there was a positive hype around the idea of the superstar bowling, excitement generated around the ground when he began his smooth run-up and plenty of people expected more magic.
The South African duly delivered in the second Test at SuperSport Park, ripping apart the heart of New Zealand’s challenge in a few enchanting overs.
The full chaos couldn’t be known, but one thing was for sure, the world’s best fast bowler was back. Little were the mesmerised spectators to know that he would treat them to more delicacy: this time richer and sweeter, more potent as he would show the gleaming flashes of old.
The signs were already looking ominous in the second test for New Zealand when South Africa piled on 481 runs, and they were humbled by a dangerous attack to crumble for 214 runs. The 33-year-old, economical as he was (at least in the first half), was off the boil.
Also read: Faf du Plessis feels the Proteas almost played a perfect test
But his fighting spirit came through in the second innings, a fiercely determined Steyn obliterating the meat of the Kiwi challenge by sending both openers back into the hut without scoring, only the second bowler after Bob Willis to have achieved the feat. Those two were gems.
It fuelled the fire needed to crush New Zealand to a demoralising loss and Steyn was the rapier in dominating the opposition, sporting a lion’s incisive for the kill. He could not have pleased more in a match where injury woes lingered. He had staved off the battle, taking 5-33.
In the end, he was showered with praise. It just showed once again that Steyn is one of the spearheads in the side and that he finds his devastating best when people have slayed him. He will remain the caviar of the attack and win over the hearts of supporters until he retires, that’s for sure.
“I struggled I guess in the first innings to get the ball up there. You know, when you don’t just have that kind of rhythm, you rely on something else. So I figured I’d use the pace and a little bit of bounce and go short with these guys,” Steyn told Supersport.
“In the second innings, it was just like magic – it just came out beautifully. I felt it swinging, I felt like I could bowl it exactly where I wanted it. So, you have those days, and today was one of those days where I just felt I had it the ball on a string… I could land it where I wanted to. It did come out sweetly.”
Also read: Steyn returns to the top of Test bowlers’ rankings
It looks like the fast bowler is here to stay.
"I just want to play. I don't know if I will wake up in a month and can't do it anymore or if I will wake up in four years and can't do it anymore. I just really enjoy playing Test cricket. I love it. It's what I feel I have been put on earth to do," Steyn told Espncricinfo. "I do not know when to pull the plug or when the time to make that decision will come but if I am still making batters jump around and the pace is there, I will carry on doing what I am doing."
Steyn bowled beautifully. Let’s hope he does it again against Australia.
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