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Cape Town - Proteas quickie Dale Steyn says it already feels as though he's playing for the best cricket team in the world.
The Proteas thrashed England by an innings and 12 runs in the first Test at The Oval, with Steyn claiming a five-wicket haul to help bowl the hosts out of the final day.
Steyn and his charges are currently third on the ICC Test rankings behind Australia and leaders England. Should South Africa win the current three-Test series against England they will jump to No 1 in the rankings.
But Steyn told Beeld he doesn't take much notice of their current No 3 position.
"For a while now I have believed that I’m playing for the best team in the world and I don’t need a rankings position to convince me.
"All that we want to do on this tour is to make it official and take England's crown."
He said they're a tight-knit unit that plays for each other and puts the team's interests first.
"Just look at what Jakes (Jacques Kallis) did when he suggested we declare when he was 18 runs short of his double hundred."
The Proteas will play a two-day warm-up match against Worcestershire starting on Friday, before heading to Leeds on Sunday to start preparations for the second Test at Headingley on August 2.
The Proteas thrashed England by an innings and 12 runs in the first Test at The Oval, with Steyn claiming a five-wicket haul to help bowl the hosts out of the final day.
Steyn and his charges are currently third on the ICC Test rankings behind Australia and leaders England. Should South Africa win the current three-Test series against England they will jump to No 1 in the rankings.
But Steyn told Beeld he doesn't take much notice of their current No 3 position.
"For a while now I have believed that I’m playing for the best team in the world and I don’t need a rankings position to convince me.
"All that we want to do on this tour is to make it official and take England's crown."
He said they're a tight-knit unit that plays for each other and puts the team's interests first.
"Just look at what Jakes (Jacques Kallis) did when he suggested we declare when he was 18 runs short of his double hundred."
The Proteas will play a two-day warm-up match against Worcestershire starting on Friday, before heading to Leeds on Sunday to start preparations for the second Test at Headingley on August 2.
