Steyn’s greatest fast-bowling hits

Some quicks need a green surface, cloud cover or a brand-new ball. Steyn’s greatness was his ability to take wickets in all conditions.

He could bowl you, hurt you, nick you off or rush you on the back foot. He swung the new ball, reversed the old one and attacked the stumps at serious pace.

Steyn finished his Test career with 439 wickets in 93 matches at 22.95, including 26 five-wicket hauls.

These five performances showed everything he had.

7-51 against India, Nagpur, 2010

Fast bowlers touring India are often asked to keep an end quiet while the spinners search for wickets. Steyn had other ideas.

South Africa declared on 558-6 before India reached tea on day three at 221-4. The pitch was dry, the ball was old and the home side appeared capable of batting deep into the evening.

Steyn had already dismissed Murali Vijay and Sachin Tendulkar with conventional swing. After tea, he began reversing the older ball into the right-handers.

He took five wickets for three runs in 22 deliveries as India lost their final six wickets for 12 runs and were bowled out for 233.

Steyn finished with a career-best 7-51 before adding 3-57 in the second innings. His 10-wicket match haul allowed South Africa to enforce the follow-on and complete an innings-and-six-run victory.

Fast bowlers are rarely expected to decide Tests in India. Steyn did it with a spell with pace, skill and a reversing-swinging ball.

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6-8 against Pakistan, Johannesburg, 2013

Pakistan had bowled South Africa out for 253 and appeared to have worked their way into the Test.

Steyn removed more than half the team in 8.1 overs.

He dragged the batsmen forward, found the outside edge and kept the wicketkeeper and slip cordon interested with almost every delivery.

Steyn sent down six maidens, conceded eight runs and took six wickets as Pakistan were rolled for 49, their lowest total in Test cricket.

He returned to take 5-52 in the second innings, completing match figures of 11-60 as South Africa won by 211 runs.

The Wanderers gave the quicks enough to work with, but figures of 6-8 demand more than a helpful pitch. Steyn made Pakistan play, then found the movement to beat them.

5-87 and 5-67 against Australia, Melbourne, 2008

South Africa’s 2008-09 tour of Australia remains one of the defining campaigns in Proteas history.

Graeme Smith’s side began the series by chasing 414 in Perth, then the second-highest successful run chase in Test cricket. Smith made 108 and AB de Villiers finished unbeaten on 106 as the Proteas won by six wickets.

The MCG Test offered them the chance to secure the series.

Steyn took 5-87 as Australia made 394, but South Africa later slipped to 251-8 and were in danger of conceding a sizeable first-innings lead.

He made 76 and shared a 180-run ninth-wicket stand with JP Duminy, whose 166 carried South Africa to 459 and a 65-run lead.

Back with the ball, Steyn took 5-67 as Australia were dismissed for 247. The Proteas knocked off the target of 183 for the loss of one wicket to secure their first Test series win in Australia.

It was also Australia’s first home series defeat since the West Indies beat them in 1992-93.

The tour later produced another famous moment in Sydney. Smith came out at No 11 with a broken left hand and survived 17 balls before Mitchell Johnson bowled him with 10 deliveries remaining in the Test.

By then, however, the series belonged to South Africa. Steyn’s 10 wickets and 76 runs at the MCG had made sure of that.

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5-23 against India, Ahmedabad, 2008

India’s first innings lasted exactly 20 overs.

Steyn hit a full length from the outset, bowling Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid before returning to clean up the tail.

He finished with 5-23 from eight overs as India were skittled for 76. His haul included three bowled dismissals, one lbw and one catch in the cordon.

South Africa’s response showed that batting was possible. They reached 494-7 declared, with AB de Villiers making an unbeaten 217.

Steyn added 3-91 in the second innings as the Proteas won by an innings and 90 runs.

4-55 against Australia, Gqeberha, 2014

Steyn took four wickets, but the figures only tell part of what he produced that day.

Australia were set 448 and reached 126 without loss before David Warner fell to JP Duminy. Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander then removed Alex Doolan and Shaun Marsh, exposing the middle order.

With the old ball reversing, Steyn ripped through Australia’s batting lineup.

Michael Clarke edged into the cordon, Steve Smith was pinned first ball and Brad Haddin had his middle stump knocked back. Steyn later removed Ryan Harris to finish with 4-55 as Australia were dismissed for 216.

South Africa won by 231 runs and levelled the series at 1-1.

There were bigger hauls in Steyn’s career, but few spells showed his value more clearly. Australia had seen off the new ball, the openers had added 126 and rain was forecast for the fifth day. Steyn still found a route through.

Different surfaces, different conditions, different methods. Steyn always found a way.

He could find the edge, trap a batsman in front, rush them with the short ball or send the stumps flying. No fast bowler of his generation had a more complete arsenal.

Photo: Hamish Blair/Getty Images

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