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Steyn return keeps Australia on guard
- Updated: September 29, 2016
Before the series started Australia had identified AB de Villiers as the man to keep in check but with news that he will be sidelined for the next two months, they have had to turn their attention elsewhere. Now, they have earmarked Dale Steyn as the South African who will pose the biggest threat especially as they know he was recently wounded in the ODI format.
“He’s a class bowler and has been for a long time,” Steven Smith, Australia’s captain, said. “I watched the Test series against New Zealand, where he was almost back to his best. I think he’s been left out of their one-day side for a while, so he’s probably out to prove a point.”
Officially, Steyn was rested from the triangular series, which also featured Australia, in the Caribbean. But he was allowed to play in the Natwest T20 Blast so, unofficially, he was left out. Steyn admitted as much during the New Zealand Tests in August. “I can’t even make the one-day team now,” Steyn said, after he had surged back with eight wickets in the Centurion Test.
That was Steyn’s first completed Test in more than 18 months, after he was forced out of six of South Africa’s eight matches in the 2015-16 season with injuries that he picked up in the other two. But last month Steyn showed signs of old when he bowled at good pace and swung the ball to finish as the series’ leading wicket-taker. Now, at the same venue, Steyn will make his comeback to the 50-over team and stand-in captain Faf du Plessis is certain he will want to do just as well.
“Dale’s personality sometimes is a bit cranky, that’s why you see that fire when he gets a wicket and that’s why we love him like that,” du Plessis said. “I think when he came back, felt like he needed to prove a point. He …
