On Wednesday morning, the South African pacer Dale Steyn becomes the leading wicket-taker in South African Test cricket history. To achieve that special feat, the 35-year-old right-arm pacer surpassed the former native pacer Shaun Pollock’s 421 Test wickets record.
The three-match Test series between the hosts South Africa and the visitors Pakistan have started on Wednesday through the Boxing Day Test at SuperSport Park (Centurion). Prior to the Test match, Steyn was just one wicket behind to achieve the top feat as he started the game as the joint leading Test wicket-taker for South Africa.
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It didn’t take the very long time to achieve the special feat. After Pakistan decided to bat first, they lost their opener Imam-ul-Haq for a duck on the second over of the game when another South African pacer Kagiso Rabada trapped him for an lbw.
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Coming to bowl his fourth over of the game and seventh over of the innings, Steyn dismissed the other opener Fakhar Zaman (12) on the first delivery of that over and finally achieved that special feat. On that delivery, the left-handed batsman found an outside edge that carried to the third slip Dean Elgar who didn’t commit any mistake. Playing his 89th Tests and bowling in his 162nd Test innings, Steyn picked up 422 Test wickets and becomes the leading Test wicket-taker in South African cricket history.
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The previous record holder was the former pacer Shaun Pollock who picked up 421 Test wickets in 108 Tests (202 Test innings) with the average of 23.11. While Pollock had 16 five-wicket hauls and only ten-wicket hauls in his Test career, Steyn has 26 five-wicket hauls and five ten-wicket hauls in his Test career.
Here are some important stats of Dale Steyn’s 422 Test wickets
- Most Test wicket-taker for South Africa.
- 11th leading wicket-taker in overall Test cricket history.
- 7th leading wicket-taker among the pacers in Test cricket history.
Here are some Twitter reactions:
Well done @DaleSteyn62 👑 pic.twitter.com/YzZM7O7ghg
— Shaun Pollock (@7polly7) December 26, 2018
Dale Steyn, we salute you! What a man, what a player. Fitting that “Simply the best” is playing at Supersport Park, where everything started! Congrats legend @DaleSteyn62
— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) December 26, 2018
#legend @DaleSteyn62 pic.twitter.com/v86PfW9kTS
— Graeme Smith (@GraemeSmith49) December 26, 2018
Well done @DaleSteyn62 Well deserved. The work you put in behind closed doors pays off. This is a perfect example.Hopefully many more wickets still lie ahead 🥂
— Jacques Kallis (@jacqueskallis75) December 26, 2018
https://twitter.com/hershybru/status/1077875007336992768
https://twitter.com/AllanDonald33/status/1077849340822065153
Dale Steyn….one of the finest fast bowlers of all time. Undoubtedly the best in his generation. Across the globe. #Respect #Legend
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) December 26, 2018
Congrats to Steyn-remover @DaleSteyn62 who just became the greatest wicket-taker in South African history. Wonderful bowler, great guy. #No422 👊👍👏 pic.twitter.com/ROPFFkn83B
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) December 26, 2018
The man who flattened my Off Stump with his 1st Test wicket is now the leading wicket taker in SA Test History … Well done @DaleSteyn62 … Great bowler & top man … #Steyn
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) December 26, 2018
Pollock thumbs up Steyn after getting 422 test wicket.
WHAT A MOMENT. pic.twitter.com/oM7TXL3dHt
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 26, 2018
Dale Steyn took his 400th Test wicket on 30 July 2015. It has taken him 1245 days get the next 22 wickets to go past Shaun Pollock's SA record. This is just his 9th Test in that time.
— Andrew Samson (@AWSStats) December 26, 2018
Legends are #MadeInLimpopo. Today we are celebrating Dale Steyn the Phalaborwa Express for his milestone of 422 wickets! pic.twitter.com/gXU9z4Nrvy
— Coach Dukes (@produkes) December 26, 2018
A *goosebump* inducing moment.
Steyn crosses Shaun Pollock as the highest wicket taker for South Africa and @7polly7 goes on air with the statement that does utte justice to him.
'Long live the King'.
Then, Dale gets hoisted up by the future leader. 🙏#Steyn #SAvPAK pic.twitter.com/tvUVnn3uko
— Tarun Raman (@raman_tarun) December 26, 2018
