Twitter Erupts in Joy as Dale Steyn Overtakes Shaun Pollock to Become the Highest Wicket-Taker for South Africa in Test
Updated - 26 Dec 2018, 04:09 PM
Dale Steyn went ahead of Shaun Pollock to become South Africa‘s highest wicket-taker when he picked up his 422nd Test wicket against Pakistan in the Boxing Day Test at Centurion.
Meanwhile, Steyn, who missed a significant part of cricket this year due to injury, achieved the feat with the wicket of Fakhar Zaman. He sent back Zaman in the seventh over of the day eliciting an edge to Dean Elgar at slips. It reduced Pakistan to 17 for 2, and his home crowd at SuperSport Park got to their feet and applauded.
While Shaun Pollock needed 108 Tests to get to 421 wickets, Dale Steyn broke the record in his 89th match. He is just outside the top 10 for all-time wicket-takers, behind Richard Hadlee’s 431.
It has been a long wait for the speedster to get to the South Africa record. He reached 400 Test wickets in July 2015, in 80 games – making him the joint quickest to get there, along with Hadlee and only behind Muttiah Muralitharan. Since then, he has played just nine Tests since that match against Bangladesh, having to limp off on a few occasions.
A fighter to the core, Steyn isn’t resting easy on his laurels. He said that he is aiming more than that of the record.
“I haven’t saved myself just to take one more wicket than Polly (Pollock). There is a bigger goal at the end of the day,” Steyn said.
Here are the reactions:
Dale Steyn, we salute you! What a man, what a player. Fitting that “Simply the best” is playing at Supersport Park, where everything started! Congrats legend @DaleSteyn62
— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) December 26, 2018
The great Dale Steyn takes his 422nd Test wicket and becomes the highest wicket-taker in Test history for South Africa #SAVPAK #Cricket
— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) December 26, 2018
Dale Steyn has just become the leading Test wicket-taker for South Africa, overtaking Shaun Pollock. "Long live the king," says Pollock. "If there’s anyone in South African cricket who deserves to be top, it’s that man." #SAvPak #DaleSteyn
— Liam Brickhill (@Gomorezvidinha) December 26, 2018
DALE STEYN MAKES HISTORY!!!
Steyn is the leading wicket taker in South African test cricket.
That’s a mighty 422 test scalps for the SA CRICKET SUPERSTAR ???
Finally top of the charts ???#ProteaFire #SAvPAK pic.twitter.com/GwiKNG7Rtj
— Kass Naidoo (@KassNaidoo) December 26, 2018
https://twitter.com/farhan93_/status/1077836679249948672
So so proud of Dale Steyn for becoming the highest wicket taker in tests for South Africa.Congratulations Hoolio @DaleSteyn62 ❤?
— Brashna Kasi (@Brashnaa) December 26, 2018
Dale Steyn moves within 143 Test wickets of James Anderson #BoxingDayBanter
— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) December 26, 2018
Take a bow, Dale Steyn?????? #SAvPAK @DaleSteyn62
— Tanya Rana ?? (@Tanyar_18) December 26, 2018
He is now the leading test wicket taker …. All hail Dale Steyn
— PAIN (ペイン, Pein) (@o_ill_isco_k) December 26, 2018
