Published: Aug 01, 2015, 04:44 PM (IST)
Edited: Aug 02, 2015, 05:20 PM (IST)
Dale Steyn, the most clinical fast bowler of his generation, reached the respectful milestone of 400 Test wickets against Bangladesh in the second Test in Mirpur in 2015. His eminence as a perfectionist of his art is discussed by a few of his teammates, who recollect their favourite Steyn moment with the ball. His ability to conjure jaw-dropping spells or deliveries regardless of the opponent or the conditions is well known, which is sketched well by the opinions of AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, Morne Morkel, Faf du Plessis, JP Duminy, and Vernon Philander on what spelt his greatness and their memorable wickets. Steyn’s landmark, having arrived via the wicket of opener Tamim Iqbal, who edged to first slip on the first day, is the fastest in terms of balls bowled, and joint-fastest (alongside New Zealand’s Richard Hadlee) in terms of Tests played. READ: Dale Steyn does not count 400th wicket among best career moments
De Villiers mentions the wicket of Sachin Tendulkar in 2010 as the one he remembers as among his best. Tendulkar had been set up by a few inswingers and then surprised by one that left him slightly, to have him edging to the wicketkeeper Mark Boucher. Steyn ended with seven wickets in that innings, India’s first, to get them bowled out for 233, and possess a lead of 325 runs. South Africa won that Test by an innings and six runs.
Amla and du Plessis seemed to have got their favourite moments the same: his first Test wicket, to get rid of Michael Vaughan in 2004. The ball got Vaughan to play around a potent delivery to get his off stump disturbed. Morkel chose the ball to dismiss Michael Clarke in third Test between the sides in the series in Australia in 2012, which got the better of the Australia captain to have him edging to wicketkeeper de Villiers. Du Plessis also chose the ball to Cheteshwar Pujara in the second innings of the second Test in 2013-14, and Philander chose a delivery to dismiss Mahela Jayawardene in a spell in Galle against Sri Lanka in 2014 that helped the visitors effect a series victory there for the first time in 20 years. READ: Dale Steyns reaches 400 Test wickets milestone: Twitter reactions
