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Durban - Proteas fast bowler, Dale Steyn, feels its ‘even-stevens’ following a rain-affected opening day of the first Test against England at Kingsmead on Saturday.
How the Proteas start on Sunday will be crucial, but the prospect of drier conditions and a reversing ball will give the attack some inspiration after the frustrations from the rain on Saturday.
“With the loss of overs, if we had gotten a full day’s play, we might have been able to sneak in a few wickets,” Steyn said at stumps.
“At the end of the day we can only do what we can do, that was to get on the park and play. I think it’s even-stevens at the moment. We were lucky to get the breakthrough at the end which helped.
“These were tough conditions,” he said.
“When you are coming off for rain the field holds the water, the ball was damp which made it tough to get it to swing and shape. Hopefully tomorrow if the sun comes out we can get the ball to go. It was just starting to reverse a bit this evening so I think with the warmer conditions and the drier outfield we will be able to work some magic.”
Steyn says he is relieved to have marked his return to fitness with a strong performance after a frustrating few weeks on the side-lines. His performances continue to substantiate his credentials as the best fast bowler of this generation, as he edges closer to Shaun Pollock’s record of the most Test dismissals for South Africa which stands at 421.
“It’s been pretty frustrating sitting on the side-lines for the last six weeks,” he admitted.
“Sitting in India and unfortunately not being able to contribute was tough. I have been training hard with the trainer, lost a couple of kilos, so it was nice to get back on to the field today. Hashim (Amla) is always asking the leader of the attack to contribute and when we won the toss and decided to bowl I felt like that was my job today, to set the tone from the start.”
“I feel like everything is clicking,” he added.
“Touch wood, I could bowl badly tomorrow but today I was very happy with the way things came out. Hopefully throughout the series things will start to click, I’ll get quicker and better.”
Play will start at 09:30 on Sunday.
