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Cape Town - Wanted by Kagiso Rabada at St George’s Park from Thursday: five wickets (or more, of course) for another career milestone.
The 24-year-old Proteas strike bowler, if he reaches that scalp tally in the third Test against England, will become the eighth South African to achieve at least 200 wickets in the arena - he currently stands on 195.
Rabada should feel reasonably confident of getting there in Port Elizabeth, considering that his last two Tests at the venue have seen him grab an impressive 16 dismissals: match figures of 11/150 against Australia (SA victory) in March 2018, and then 5/91 against Sri Lanka (despite shock defeat) in February last year.
Once he does, whether in the Friendly City or onward to his home ground of the Wanderers and the series climax, “KG” will have joined seven illustrious compatriots already sporting 200-plus.
They are, in order from top, Dale Steyn (439), Shaun Pollock (421), Makhaya Ntini (390), Allan Donald (330), Morne Morkel (309), Jacques Kallis (291) and soon retiring team-mate Vernon Philander (222).
He will not be the fastest Proteas player to the landmark when it happens, as Steyn reached 200 strikes in his 39th Test, and Donald his 42nd: Rabada (already 42 caps) won’t be far off that pair, though.
The quickest of all Test bowlers to 200 wickets is Pakistan’s Yasir Shah, who got there in his 33r appearance.
*Follow our chief writer on Twitter: @RobHouwing
