Steyn strikes as seamers exploit damp conditions
DALE Steyn and Vernon Philander bowled South Africa back into contention on the second morning of the first Test with an outstanding spell of seam and swing bowling at a damp Kingsmead yesterday.
Only 22 overs were possible, but that was enough for the Proteas to reach 263 in their first innings, courtesy of Kagiso Rabada’s top Test score of 32 not out, before Steyn and Philander roared into action.
Bowling under heavy cloud clover in gloomy light, the two experienced pacemen knew exactly what they had to do to exploit the moist conditions. Both men, who have returned from long injury absences, carried out their brief to perfection, with Steyn picking up the wickets of both openers, Tom Latham and Martin Guptill, while Philander gave new batsman Ross Taylor a torrid time bowling from the Old Fort end, beating him time and again outside the off stump as he seamed the ball away from the bat.
The Black Caps were, indeed, fortunate to face only 12 overs of the two champion bowlers, with their key batsmen, Kane Williamson and Taylor, battling to survive as the visitors teetered on 15/2.
Steyn, who returned the remarkable figures of 6-4-3-2 in his first spell, had just been replaced by Kagiso Rabada when the umpires took the players off the field for bad light shortly before lunch.
Later in the afternoon, with the Black Caps, no doubt, hoping to return to their hotel, a cloudburst duly sent them on their way.
Though the conditions were perfect for seam bowling, the way Steyn and Philander bowled was exemplary. There was no thought of banging the ball in, but rather bowling a fuller “Kingsmead length” on or around the off stump, giving the batsmen no relief.
Earlier, Rabada served notice that he could become a valuable lower-order batsman with a calm, clinical innings.
With Steyn quickly departing after being bowled through the gate by Tim Southee, Rabada struck six fours in his useful innings, including some fine drives as he enabled the tail to add another 27 runs before the Kiwis’ outstanding bowler, Trent Boult, found the edge of Dane Piedt’s bat to cap- Picture: REUTERS ture his third wicket.
Steyn was immediately on the mark and had a close appeal for leg before against Guptill turned down in his first over before he struck in his fourth over, inducing Latham to edge a straight drive to Hashim Amla, who held a head-high catch at first slip.
In his next over, Steyn moved one in late to thud against Guptill’s pad, and the tall opening batsman didn’t even think of suggesting a review as he left the field.
Taylor, in particular, will wonder how he survived the remaining three overs as the ball seamed prodigiously around like the Kingsmead pitches of old. Rain spared the Kiwis any further damage and a frustrated Faf du Plessis and his men will hope that they have the benefit of similar conditions today.
Afterwards, bowling coach Charl Langeveldt praised his two experienced bowlers.
“Having Dale and Vernon bowling in tandem again was good to see. The ball didn’t swing a lot for us, but it did seam a lot, and that was the key. When they bowled earlier in the morning it swung a lot, so the guys played and missed by a country mile. It just did enough, and that was all it needed to do.”
Langeveldt said the bowlers took a leaf out of former Proteas paceman Shaun Pollock’s book.
“Shaun never swung it much, but he nipped the ball around and he bowled in the right areas, and that was important.”
The bowling coach said that the Proteas’ total was better than it seemed.
“The outfield here isn’t like the Wanderers or a highveld outfield. Up there, once it beats the field, it goes for four. Here it stops, so you can add 40 or 50 runs to the total.”
Wet conditions prevented any play on the second day of the fourth Test between the West Indies and India in Trinidad on Friday.
Only 22 overs were bowled on Thursday before the rain arrived. India lead 2-0, with one Test having been drawn, and have already wrapped up the series. – Reuters RIO DE JANEIRO: China’s Chen Long stepped out of compatriot Lin Dan’s shadow to spoil Lee Chong Wei’s hopes of a golden Olympic swansong and win the men’s badminton title yesterday.
The Malaysian’s conqueror at successive