• Dale Steyn: One of the all-time greats

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    Dale Steyn leaves the Test arena as one of the greatest ever to play the game. Here SA Cricket magazine looks at his career in numbers.

    Career in numbers:

    Tests – 93
    Innings – 171
    Wickets – 439
    Avg – 22.95
    Strike rate – 42.39
    Best – 7-51
    5w – 26
    10w – 5

    Steyn was on top of the ICC Test bowling rankings for 263 weeks.

    He is the only fast bowler to have taken a five-wicket haul against nine Test-playing nations.

    Best strike rates for bowlers in Test matches (minimum 200 wickets):

    Dale Steyn 42.3
    Waqar Younis 43.4
    Malcolm Marshall 46.7
    Allan Donald 47.0
    Vernon Philander 48.6
    Fred Trueman 49.4
    Mitchell Starc 49.9

    Cricket South Africa chief executive officer Thabang Moroe said: ‘Dale is undoubtedly one of the all-time greats of cricket. From the time he made his Test debut against England in 2004 and dismissed their captain, Michael Vaughan, with a superb delivery, he has been one of the standout fast bowlers in world cricket.

    ‘He has led the South African attack brilliantly and has set the standard for our future generations to follow. More than that he has been a wonderful mentor to our next generation of speedsters.

    ‘We were saddened to hear of his decision, but it is one that management has to accept, and we thank him for his significant contribution to the sport and to the nation and wish him everything of the very best for the future.’

    Photo: Gallo Images

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    SA CRICKET