South Africa v New Zealand, 2nd Test, Centurion, Day 4 - Dale Steyn is back!

Test cricket was missing Dale Steyn very much while, South Africa were missing him badly. Thankfully, he is back with a boom. Steyn is the nucleus of this Proteas unit. We talk a lot about AB de Villiers, but in my book, Steyn is the real star and main-man of this Proteas unit. After Graeme Smith, Steyn had been a huge factor behind South Africa’s rise to the top. Last year, he was not available and how South Africa suffered without him, we all know.

Faf declared the innings after taking a big lead and from the word go, Steyn was in business. Backward rotation of the wrist, upright seam and cracker of away swingers bowled at 80 to 85 mph set jitters in the New Zealand batting line-up and in the end, they digested a heavy defeat.

South Africa are back on the winning track.

Steyn’s outgoing and incoming deliveries to the left and right handers nipped-back-in and moved away viciously. Especially the away swingers with the new ball were just too hot to handle. Yes, the new ball and wrist position helped a lot, but for swing bowling, laminar and turbulent air flow are also needed. I am not sure about the nature of air flow at Centurion, but perhaps, it was laminar which I guessed after watching the sharp away swingers with the kookaburra ball.  

Thank You

Faisal Caesar