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Cape Town - Proteas fast bowler Dale Steyn has named his best Test XI with four South Africans selected - he also named childhood heroes Allan Donald and Jonty Rhodes as his 12th and 13th men.
Steyn revealed his dream team to SkySports ahead of Hampshire's One Day Cup final this past weekend - where Steyn's side romped to victory against Kent to take the title.
READ: Steyn greatest fast bowler SA has produced - Donald
The criteria for the list being from cricketers Steyn had played with and against at international level.
Kicking off his selection, Steyn picked former team-mate and skipper Graeme Smith.
"Of the 80-odd Test matches I have played, he probably captained 60 of them and I thought he was fantastic. He was a pretty good batter - anybody that averages close to 50 opening the batting, especially in South African conditions, is going to get the nod," said Steyn.
The next South African, who was dubbed by Steyn as the "bearded warrior", was Hashim Amla - who slotted in at No 3.
"He is amazing and he averages in the fifties and is very cool, calm and collected. Whenever you feel like you are in a crisis, Hash settles the situation. He is the first South African to score 300 and he used the same pair of gloves! He doesn't sweat! Nothing bothers the Hash," said the fast bowler.
At No 5 on his list, is Steyn's favourite player and arguably the greatest cricketer South Africa has every produced - all-rounder Jacques Kallis.
"The guy can bat, bowl and field - he took tons of catches for me at second slip with his bucket hands. He is very quiet, doesn't say a lot but catches anything. He was more than handy with the ball... and that man could bat," said Steyn.
"He is my favourite player and when I first met him I was blown away. I had a birthday card signed by Jacques when I was about 12 or 13: 'To Dale, Happy birthday, Best wishes, Jacques Kallis'. I never thought I'd be playing alongside this guy. Strangely enough we are really good friends now."
Lower down the order slotting in at No 7 is recently retired Proteas star batsman AB de Villiers.
"We played against each other from about the age of 11 and worked our way through," said Steyn.
"He was always special - people were tipping him to play for the Titans when he was still in high school... We never really worried about him - even if he scored 10 ducks in a row, you knew he'd come good."
For 12 and 13 man, Steyn picked former Proteas fast bowler Donald and batsman Rhodes.
"They were my favourites growing up. When I was running in as a kid I was Allan Donald every single day of the week. If I was fielding for my school team, I was Jonty Rhodes," he said.
Steyn will make a welcome return for the Proteas - after being sidelined with a heel injury - in the first Test against Sri Lanka starting from July 12 in Galle.
Dale Steyn's dream team XI:
Graeme Smith (South Africa - captain), Virender Sewhag (India), Hashim Amla (South Africa), Sachin Tendulkar (India), Jacques Kallis (South Africa), Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka - wicketkeeper), AB de Villiers (South Africa), Andrew Flintoff (England), Shane Warne (Australia), Wasim Akram (Pakistan), Glenn McGrath (Australia)
12th and 13th men: Allan Donald and Jonty Rhodes (South Africa)
“He took tons of catches for me, bucket hands! And boy could he bat!” ??????There's no doubt that @jacqueskallis75 is included in @DaleSteyn62's dream Test team. Find out who else makes the cut ???? https://t.co/TtSGYNGIGjWatch full interview on Sky Sports Cricket now ???? pic.twitter.com/50cg55kXr1
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 30, 2018
