Steyn to miss Kenya matches

Dale Steyn, the South African fast bowler, has been struggling with an illness and is ruled out of next week's one-dayers against Kenya. He said he "will possibly be considered again" for the matches against Bangladesh which start early next month.

Steyn has been suffering from severe headaches since mid-September, according to a report on the Supercricket website.

"It was so bad that I could hardly get out of bed. I also became terribly nauseous," Steyn, who has lost four kilos over the last month, said. "Until now the doctors have not been able to determine exactly what the cause of the headaches is."

South Africa have a home-and-away series against Australia beginning in December, a contest they have not won since they were re-admitted into cricket in 1991. Steyn, who was named the ICC's Test player of the year last month, is expected to spearhead the South African pace attack and is crucial to their plans.

"That is why I believe it's necessary rather to take things easy for now and not to take a chance against Kenya," he said. "I want to be at my best against Australia. Since the series in England I haven't bowled a single ball."