• Steyn gets his 400th Test wicket

    Tamim Iqbal became Dale Steyn’s 400th Test victim as the fast bowler joined Shaun Pollock as only the second South African to achieve the milestone, in the second Test against Bangladesh in Mirpur.

    Hashim Amla took the catch at first slip off the third ball of Steyn’s third over as he became the joint second fastest bowler, in terms of Tests played, to reach 400 Test wickets. He joins New Zealander Richard Hadlee, who also required just 80 Test matches to 400. But he is the fastest of them all in terms of balls bowled, taking just 16 634 compared to Hadlee’s 20 ooo-plus; at a strike rate of 41.61 against Hadlee’s 50.75 and Glenn McGrath’s 51.40.

    Muttiah Muralitharan remains the fastest bowler to get there in 72 Tests. Steyn’s next target will be Pollock’s tally of 421 wickets.

    It was supposed to happen in the first Test against the Tigers, but rain ruined those plans as the last two days in Chittagong were washed out.

    On Thursday, Bangladesh won the toss and decided to bat first. Steyn was on the money from the get-go and would have celebrated the milestone earlier had Dean Elgar not dropped a chance in the slips.

    Steyn didn’t have to wait long though, as Iqbal (6) edged one straight to Amla who took it comfortably to start celebrations.

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    SA CRICKET