dale steyn

Dale Steyn's rise to national selection was rapid, being picked in the side for the first Test against England in December 2004 little more than a season after making his first-class debut. A genuinely fast, if slightly raw, bowler, who moves the ball away from right-handers, Steyn sprints to the wicket and hurls the ball down with aggression, and often follows with a snarl or side for the batsman. He was expected to be included in the squad which toured India, but the selectors held him back, preferring to keep him as a secret weapon on home soil. At the highest level his lack of experience was exposed but there was enough to suggest that he could be a force to be reckoned with. Recalled to the Test side in April 2006, he responded with his first five-wicket haul, as New Zealand were routed in the first Test at Centurion. Finished the three-Test series with 16 wickets, and made a fine impression throughout. Took 3 for 129 in the first Test against Sri Lanka in July, and 5 for 82 in the first innings of the second match even as South Africa slumped to a 2-0 series whitewash. Although not a permanent fixture during the 2006-07 the development continued and he brought an added dimension to the new-ball attack as South Africa searched for a cutting edge. He took 10 cheap wickets in three Tests against India and Pakistan although hasn't been able to find a place in the one-day set-up. He had a good stint with Warwickshire in 2007, topping the wickets table in the limited overs games with 16 wickets.