Steyn underlines No. 1 credentials
After Steyn's spell with the second new ball hastened a dominant victory at The Oval, Vic Marks applauds Graeme Smith's go-to bowler
Cricinfo
25-Feb-2013
After Steyn's spell with the second new ball hastened a dominant victory at The Oval, Vic Marks applauds Graeme Smith's go-to bowler. His piece in the Guardian.
Steyn is often compared to Jimmy Anderson. Both are artists in an artisan's trade. Steyn, however, is a better intimidator. His bouncer is used sparingly, especially on a pitch of this docility, but very effectively. One short ball at the body was enough to find the glove of the tentative Stuart Broad. Just the threat of the bouncer was enough to have Graeme Swann loitering on his back foot when trying to drive, his weight lodged in the wrong place. Hence the limp drive to cover and another seemingly cheap victim and another five-wicket haul on a pitch that his English counterparts viewed as a fast bowler's graveyard.
Meanwhile, in the Daily Telegraph, Simon Hughes looks at five reasons why South Africa steamrollered England.
The score was 251 for two, Kevin Pietersen and Alastair Cook were looking secure, there was one over to go to the second new ball being available, and 11 overs left in the day. Jacques Kallis tried three of his awkward bouncers in a row to Pietersen. The first was paddled for two, the second missed as KP attempted a rather wild swish at the ball, the third was too tight for the uncontrolled shot and was gloved down the leg side.