New Zealand in SA
Dale Steyn gets 300th wicket
2013-01-02 00:00
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Check out a gallery of the Proteas preparing for the first Test against the Black Caps.
Cape Town - South African fast bowler
Dale Steyn
captured his 300th Test wicket when he bowled Doug Bracewell on the
first morning of the first Test against New Zealand at Newlands on
Wednesday.
Steyn, 29, was playing in his 61st Test. Only
Australia's Dennis Lillee, who achieved the feat in his 56th Test, and
Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka (58) have reached the milestone in
fewer matches.
Steyn, currently the world's number one ranked Test
bowler, joined West Indian Malcolm Marshall and New Zealand's Richard
Hadlee in taking 300 wickets in 61 matches.
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"It's an unbelievable achievement," said South African captain Graeme Smith before the match.
"He's
our go-to guy. He's got there really quickly. He always seems to make
an impact for us. He's the type of guy as a captain he's an asset to
have. You can throw him the ball and you know he'll make a play for you
somewhere during the Test match.
"When he gets that bit between his teeth you really start to see things happening."
Steyn
had to wait until the third ball of his second spell to take his first
wicket of the match and was overshadowed by new ball partner Vernon
Philander who took the first five wickets at a cost of four runs.
Steyn's strike reduced the tourists to 31 for seven after they won the toss.
Teams:
South Africa: Graeme Smith (captain), Alviro Petersen,
Hashim Amla,
Jacques Kallis, AB
de Villiers (wk), Faf du Plessis,
Dean Elgar,
Robin Peterson, Vernon
Philander,
Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel.
New Zealand:
Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum (captain), Kane Williamson, Dean Brownlie,
Daniel Flynn, BJ Watling (wk), James Franklin, Doug Bracewell, Jeetan
Patel, Trent Boult, Chris Martin.