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Can Dale Steyn become the fastest bowler to 300 Test wickets?

Agent Nationaux

International Coach
Steyn hasn't played in a while and so currently Anderson is the best. But I really want Steyn to come back and show why he is so awesome and overall better than Anderson.
 

subshakerz

International Coach
How good is Steyn? Here a few eye-popping test stats that perhaps give a picture:

-Of bowlers who have taken at least 125 wickets in victories, Steyn is no.3 of all time in averages, behind only Hadlee and Imran
Bowling records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

-Of all bowlers who have taken at least 200 wickets, his strikerate is the best
Bowling records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

-Of pace bowlers who have taken at least 200 wickets, his wickets per match is the best (yeah, better than Lillee and Hadlee even)

-He has only played 46 tests, yet already has a fifer against every test-playing country

-If he gets a fifer against England next year (likely), he will have a fifer in every test country excluding Bangladesh

-13 out of his 16 fifers have come in victories.

-He took a 10-fer in India last year. The last foreign pace bowler to do so was Richard Hadlee way back in 1988.

So, I would be a bit cautious before putting Anderson who is in a purple patch at the moment with someone like Steyn.
 
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Cabinet96

Global Moderator
That's a serious list of achievements and to think he seems to be getting better. His performances against India last year were amazing because his economy was down. When before he would bowl regular 4 bowls to release the pressure now he seems to be more consistent.
 

AlwaysProteas

U19 12th Man
How good is Steyn? Here a few eye-popping test stats that perhaps give a picture:

-Of bowlers who have taken at least 125 wickets in victories, Steyn is no.3 of all time in averages, behind only Hadlee and Imran
Bowling records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

-Of all bowlers who have taken at least 200 wickets, his strikerate is the best
Bowling records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

-Of pace bowlers who have taken at least 200 wickets, his wickets per match is the best (yeah, better than Lillee and Hadlee even)

-He has only played 46 tests, yet already has a fifer against every test-playing country

-If he gets a fifer against England next year (likely), he will have a fifer in every test country excluding Bangladesh

-13 out of his 16 fifers have come in victories.

-He took a 10-fer in India last year. The last foreign pace bowler to do so was Richard Hadlee way back in 1988.

So, I would be a bit cautious before putting Anderson who is in a purple patch at the moment with someone like Steyn.
He can also wrestle crocodiles.
 

subshakerz

International Coach
Steyn is reaching his peak age as a bowler, around 30 when you have pace and mastery over all your skills. You're right, scary to think that he can become even better...
 

Outswinger@Pace

International 12th Man
Steyn is reaching his peak age as a bowler, around 30 when you have pace and mastery over all your skills. You're right, scary to think that he can become even better...
I am not sure there is one peaking age for all pace bowlers, friend. Imran Khan and Hadlee, for instance peaked quite late while someone like Marshall and McDermott enjoyed more success in their 20s.

Hope Steyn becomes even better, but realistically it's very difficult to predict.
 

Spark

Global Moderator
As a couple of people have said, if he develops a genuine inswinger/inducker he's going to be death incarnate.
 

Manee

Cricketer Of The Year
As a couple of people have said, if he develops a genuine inswinger/inducker he's going to be death incarnate.
Disagree. There is such a thing as a law of diminishing returns when it comes to bowling weapons. Steyn is doing as well as anyone could be expected to perform, imo, given his speed. (Of course, a hypothetical 180kph bowler would clean up.)
 

Spark

Global Moderator
Having a ball that nips in to complement a vicious outswinger is such a huge bonus though, as Anderson/Broad found out to their delight and Tendulkar to his displeasure a few months back.
 

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