Daag the Steyn!!
Some months ago, in an interview to a television channel, Sunil Gavaskar had said that Sachin Tendulkar was not only a player who scored runs by the buckets but ensured that he did not look ugly at any point of time. Well, on Tuesday, the first man who crossed 10,000 runs in Test cricket would have to eat his own words.
In the first hour of the third day of the ongoing third Test at Newlands, Dale Steyn got on that landed in good length and caught Sachin in two minds. The result, the Master was beaten and how. His right leg was in the air and after a long time, Sachin looked uncomfortable at the crease. He was made to work hard for his runs by the Proteas and Steyn in particular.
What makes Steyn so special? He is fast, furious and runs hard everytime he has the cherry in his hand— a trait that sets his apart from the rest of the pack. Different? Yes, because unlike others who either have pace or swing, Steyn is blessed with both. On Tuesday, he troubled the Indians like never before and it was an exihition of one of the best fast-bowling in recent times.
Zaheer Khan, Shoiab Akhtar, Umar Gul, Tim Southee, Mashrafe Mortaza are among those who either bring swing or pace to the game but never both. Bowling at 140kph, Steyn brings in a run-up that resembles the New Zealand legend Sir Richard Hadlee and generates speed that would make ex-West Indian speedster Michael Holding smile. His smooth run-up to the crease is well-complimented with a side-arm action that is easy on the eye for the viewer and gives batsmen the jitters. The exceptional swing that he generates makes him a force to reckon with in world cricket today.
What is more important is to note that Steyn has performed exceedingly well in the sub-continent, where the World Cup commences from February 19. South Africa will want Dale to Steyn the opponents in the quadrennial event.
