Dale Steyn

[Seamer]

I have only seen a little of this guy against NZ and WI, but what i have seen of him has impressed me greatly

18 test 89 wickets Average of 23 and strike rate of 37.

The stats do him justice.

The Aussies have a few decent ones coming through, but this guy seems perhaps a cut above them.

Is he the best of the new generation?

[Nostromo]

Make that 18 Tests and 91 wickets...over 5 wickets per match for a fast bowler is very good. He has an athletic whippy action that helps to keep the off-the-pitch speed high as well. Good prospect and he could be a handful in England when SA tour.

[Rachael]

I've no strong views on the guy as I've only had time to pay passing interest in his recent exploits.... but I did notice the following about the game that ended today:

1. It was Pollock who set the victory up with an awesome initial spell of 7-2-22-3... but Steyn's initial spell of 6-2-8-1 included a dropped catch and saw him beat the bat a LOT: his figures were excellent but could easily have been better.

2. On the flip side... the same opening spell reminded all that Steyn's still got a huge weakness as an opening bowler: he consistently wastes the new ball by failing to make the batsmen play.

3. Steyn's opening 11-5-31-1 in the second innings had little of the merit of his opening spell in the first innings... and mixed stacks of wasted balls with an inexcusable proportion of dross.

4. By the time Steyn took the second new ball he had figures of 19-5-68-2 that pretty much flattered him (especially the wickets).

5. Four wickets in fifteen balls with the second new ball (including the wickets of two pretty abject tailenders) are the primary reason Steyn's in the headlines for this match.

My suspicion is that as with Waqar many years ago... Steyn's career figures are boosted mightily by a strength in running through the tail with deliveries that will not, on the whole, prove that threatening to decent top order batsmen... who will by and large enjoy only having to pay attention to 1-2 balls in every Steyn over.

My tip for the future remains Asif: I see him as the more promising new ball bowler.

ps. The BBC noted "Former Australia batsman John Dyson, in his first series as the Windies coach [...] was quick to praise South Africa paceman Dale Steyn, who took 6-72 in the second innings and finished with 20 wickets in the series".

Originally Posted by John Dyson

He gets the seam nice and upright, he gets good shape in the air, he hits good lengths, generates good speed and he's got variations that make him a very good bowler

[Beny]

Yeah I picked this guy as a prospect a few years ago when England toured SA... At that time he was very hot/cold but he seems to have done a Brett Lee and matured in his game a bit. (did it a fair bit quicker than Lee though.)

Love his action.

[Seamer]

The guy has talent, no doubt.

Another thing i really like about him is his genuine steely character. Not the false bravado like you see from the likes of Nel, or Sreenath.

He will be a handful for the Aussies next summer i suspect

[pie_chucker]

He has matured well after a slow start.

He may be a bit wayward but he does have a very good strike rate and that more than compensates for it. After all your first duty as a bowler is to take wickets. Any captain would rather take figures of 10-1-50-6 than 10-7-12-0.

I think the reason for his success is the swing he generates at pace, IMO any quick bowler who can swing the ball will take wickets.

[greg]

I have rated him very highly from the moment i saw him against us a couple of years ago.He is a cut above any young bowlers that England or Australia have and maybe his emergence has helped Pollock make his decision to retire.

[Maranello]

Originally Posted by Rachael

My suspicion is that as with Waqar many years ago... Steyn's career figures are boosted mightily by a strength in running through the tail with deliveries that will not, on the whole, prove that threatening to decent top order batsmen... who will by and large enjoy only having to pay attention to 1-2 balls in every Steyn over.

Having to play 1 or 2 balls an over? And how is that even remotely comparable to Waqar? Waqar, especially when he was younger and had pace, made you play all six deliveries, whether he was using the new ball or the old.

As for Waqar not threatening good batsmen... I think you, of all people, would categorise Atherton as "a decent top order batsmen". In Athers' considered view, repeated in his autobiography, Waqar alongwith Wasim, was the best new-ball attack he had ever faced - and this guy did spend considerable time facing Donald, Pollock, Walsh, Ambrose, McGrath et al. The Waqar that Athers was talking about was the summer 1992 vintage, someway short of his pre back-fracture (ie 1990/1) prime but still the best fast bowler in the world at that time.

[pie_chucker]

Originally Posted by Maranello

Waqar, especially when he was younger and had pace, made you play all six deliveries.....

Especially with the old ball. If you dont play an inswinging yorker you are in trouble.

I'm not too sure about Wasim and Waqar with the new ball.... They never seemed to do much against England and only seemed interested when the ball started to reverse. With the old ball though it was a different matter. I've never seen any two bowlers consistently run through teams the way they did. Even though England were on the end of it, it was still awesome to watch (from a cricket point of view). By bowling the way they did they totally removed the pitch from the equation.

[butchering lee]

Originally Posted by Rachael

My suspicion is that as with Waqar many years ago... Steyn's career figures are boosted mightily by a strength in running through the tail with deliveries that will not, on the whole, prove that threatening to decent top order batsmen... who will by and large enjoy only having to pay attention to 1-2 balls in every Steyn over.

I wanted to respond to this too, not in Waqar's defence (as much as I like Waqar, Maralleno's covered that) but because you have described, in part, exactly what SA have been missing. SA's ability to finish off the tail has been evident for a good few years and Seyn has done it with gusto.

As far as making top batsmen play with the new ball, i would have to watch more of him to fully decide but he certainly gets vital wickets; Samuels, Chanders and Bravo were all left to him once they'd settled.

He's definately one to watch...i think he's come a long way since England last toured SA.