Shaun Pollock leaves a special message for Dale Steyn after his record-breaking feat

Steyn is now the highest wicket-taker for South Africa in Tests.

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Dale Steyn
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Dale Steyn. (Photo by Tharaka Basnayaka/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Dale Styen, on Wednesday, smashed a national record as he went past Shaun Pollock’s long-standing wickets tally to become the most prolific South African Test bowler of all-time. The tearaway pacer achieved the record on day one of the ongoing first Test against Pakistan in Centurion.

Steyn surpassed Pollock when he dismissed Fakhar Zaman to pick his 422nd wicket in the longest format of the game. Steyn is now tenth on the list of all-time Test wicket-takers. Pollock had retired with 421 wickets from 108 games. Remarkably it took Steyn only 88 games to eclipse the former South Africa skipper’s record.

The achievement must have helped Steyn a sigh of relief as he finally got the monkey off his back. The 35-year-old had finished 2015 with 416 wickets. However, a spate of injuries saw him spending time more on the sidelines than the field.

Earlier this year, he had admitted that Pollock’s record had “been in the back of my mind for two-and-a-half years now”.

As of now, only Steyn (422) and England’s long-serving pacers Jimmy Anderson (565) and Stuart Broad (433) have taken more than 400 Test wickets.

Steyn also has set his sights on some milestones. Earlier this year, he had said he wants to play 100 Tests and finish with 500 Test wickets.

“A 100 Test matches would be amazing and 500 wickets would be incredible,” he said earlier this year.

“At my age … I want to play a lot of cricket. I think I can push it until I’m 38, maybe even 39, and start drifting this way around that age.

Pollock’s message for Steyn

Meanwhile, Pollock left a special message for Steyn after his compatriot moved past him in Tests.  Congratulating Steyn on his remarkable success, Pollock pointed out how the pacer’s recent injury woes are contrasting to how he managed his body throughout his career.

“His performances both home and away have been remarkable,” said Pollock in a statement issued by Cricket South Africa. “His injuries of late have been in stark contrast to how well he has managed his body and fitness throughout his career.”

Well, Steyn did enjoy pretty much an injury-free career in the first phase of his career. He played in 48 consecutive Tests from December 2009 to November 2015. During that phase, he took 232 wickets at an average of 21.72 and spent a record 263 weeks in the top spot of ICC Test rankings. Pollock further said Steyn’s record stamped him as South Africa’s all-time best fast bowler.

“I have enjoyed so many attributes of Dale’s bowling, the ability to swing the ball at high speed upfront, reverse-swing the ball with devastating effect and bowl with great control, as well as being able to crank it up with high-speed, hostile bowling on very flat surfaces at times,” he concluded.

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