Dale Steyn Breaks Kapil Dev's Record; Says He's Just Getting Started
Dale Steyn beat Kapil Dev's record of 434 Test wickets and equalled Stuart Broad's 437 in the first Test against Sri Lanka.
Highlights
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Dale Steyn surpassed Kapil Dev's tally of 434 Test wickets
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Dale Steyn is now joint 7th on the list of leading Test wicket-takers
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Dale Steyn bowled 10 overs on the trot on Thursday
Dale Steyn, the South African fast bowler, surpassed Kapil Dev's tally of 434 wickets on Day 2 of the first Test against Sri Lanka at Kingsmead, Durban, on Thursday. Playing only his 92nd Test, Dale Steyn took four wickets in the first innings and equalled England pacer Stuart Broad's tally of 437 wickets in the longest format of the game. Steyn, South Africa's leading Test wicket-taker, is now joint 7th on the overall list. The list is headed by Muttiah Muralitharan (800 wickets) while Shane Warne (708), Anil Kumble (619), James Anderson (575), Glenn McGrath (563) and Courtney Walsh (516) are the other five bowlers ahead of Steyn, who took 4 for 48 on Thursday.
Most wickets for pace bowlers in Test history:@jimmy9 - 575@glennmcgrath11 - 563@CuddyWalsh - 519@DaleSteyn62 - 437@StuartBroad8 - 437 pic.twitter.com/QX1xQpmB8g
— ICC (@ICC) February 14, 2019
"After not playing for two years (through injury), I feel like it's a blessing to just be playing again. I've almost had to start over. I'm not on 430-odd wickets, I'm on 20 since breaking Polly's (Shaun Pollock's) record. It's nice to finish a three-Test series against Pakistan and not have someone write: 'He's an injury away from retiring.' It's nice to contribute again. It feels like I've started over," the 35-year-old was quoted as saying by icc-cricket.com.
Steyn might have had his 27th five-wicket haul if Dean Elgar had held on to a catch in his 17th over of the day. But the bowler wasn't complaining.
"Test cricket is hard. Nothing should come easy," he said.
"Fifers shouldn't come easy, and no catch is easy, either," Steyn added.
Steyn led South Africa's pace attack on Thursday as they bundled out Sri Lanka for 191, securing a lead of 44 on the second day of the Test.
That included a special spell after lunch, where he bowled 10 overs on the trot, maintaining speeds in the mid-140kph range.
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Dale Steyn