Where could Steyn end up in the all time Test wickets list?

by beamer Sat 02 Feb 2013, 11:27

317 wickets, 63 Tests at the age of 29 - obviously a fast bowler can always get an injury that effectively ends his career at any time, but if he stays fit for the next 4 or 5 years then 500 wickets is certainly on the cards. At a push, McGrath's record tally for a paceman may not be out of reach?

by Brass Monkey Sat 02 Feb 2013, 12:01

SA have got 14.5 Tests in the next two years (they don't really like Test cricket).

If he's fit enough to play in all of them, taking into consideration quite a few are at home - on the juiciest wickets in the world, he's likely to take another 75-85 wickets. He'll still be 31.

500 could be on.

by skully Sat 02 Feb 2013, 12:10

At 30 this year, if he can stay fit he might get to 35 before his body says "FMD". 5 more years at say 50 wickets a year, I'd say he'll top 550, maybe even 600.

by Brass Monkey Sat 02 Feb 2013, 12:19

Steyn's big problem is that he only gets to bowl 35 overs a match, on average, due to the quality around him.

That's 'only' five wickets per Test, at his current (brilliant) S/R.

He'll have to play another 38ish Tests to reach that mark. SA (who don't like Tests a great deal) are only playing 32 Tests up until January 2017.

by taipan Sat 02 Feb 2013, 16:48

Red wrote:I still say he's overrated

by PeterCS Sat 02 Feb 2013, 18:13

Who knows?

As Dan says, the relatively low rate of SA Tests works against astronomical goals.

On the other hand, it might keep him fresher, freer of injury.

by Basil Sat 02 Feb 2013, 19:36

I thought Macca was the best quickie I ever saw, but Steyn is a pretty close second.

by lardbucket Sat 02 Feb 2013, 22:52

He's an excellent bowler, but not in Marshall's class.

Two problems ... Philander and Morkel are stealing his wickets, and imho SA don't play Tests v Bangladesh and Zimbabwe often enough for him to get the Muralitharanesque avalanche of cheapies that he needs to break McGrath's record.

by beamer Sat 02 Feb 2013, 23:17

Yeah, I suppose in the great WI attacks they shared out the wickets a lot as well, which is why some of them didn't get more (along with the competition for places at the time). Until the production line ran out and Ambrose and Walsh had to go on for as long as they could drag themselves onto the field!

by lardbucket Sat 02 Feb 2013, 23:24

Yes, Ambrose and Walsh really only had to 'compete' with each other. Bishop's injuries stuffed him or he'd have been right up there too (and 'stealing their wickets').

The previous generation was huge and competitive ...

Roberts/Holding/Garner/Croft/Marshall/Daniel/Patterson/Gray/Baptiste/Clarke

and no doubt others I'm not thinking of quickly

by lardbucket Sat 02 Feb 2013, 23:32

CURRENT TEST WICKET TAKING LIST

Steyn's strike rate does stand out.

Of bowlers I have seen since 1970, the bowler he increasingly reminds me of, in terms of his aggressive temperament and style, is Lillee. He doesn't seem to get as angry when things go against him though!

by beamer Sat 02 Feb 2013, 23:38

Active players:

Harbhajan 408 (age 32)
Vettori 360 (34)
Steyn 318 (29)
Zaheer 295 (34)
Anderson 288 (30)
Kallis 287 (37)
Martin 233 (38)
Swann 212 (33)
Johnson 205 (31)

by beamer Sat 02 Feb 2013, 23:40

Next best under-30s currently are Broad with 172 and Morkel with 171.

by Red Sat 02 Feb 2013, 23:57

Marshall is the Windian bowler he most closely resembles. One advantage the Windies bowlers had of course was the luxury of bowling their overs at a slower pace because this wasn't enforced then and you could bowl in a more intimidatory manner than without the umps stepping in. Steyn's wickets have dried a bit since Philander entered the scene.

by Brass Monkey Sun 03 Feb 2013, 00:02

lardbucket wrote:Steyn's strike rate does stand out.

Stunning stuff. Best of the lot with over 200. Fifth on the all-time list. None of the other four played over 18 matches. That's quite an incredible feat.

beamer wrote:Active players:
Anderson 288 (30)

We do like Test cricket. Playing 15 matches in the next year. If he's fit for all of them, he could've picked up another 55-65 wickets. Then he'd only be 31. If the Gods look out for him, he could take Beefy's Anglo record.

by skully Sun 03 Feb 2013, 00:09

Here's another version of lardy's list but by SR

It shows that Steyn is 5th all-time (qual: 50 wkts min. - Verny is currently 2nd but that it sure to blow out a bit) and for those with over 100 Test wickets he is 2nd only to George Lohmann. Would've loved to see footage of him and SF Barnes bowling.

Steyn is class in every sense of the word.

by Henry Sun 03 Feb 2013, 01:11

Should Steyn now be considered South Africa's best fast bowler since re-admission? It would be between him, Donald, and Pollock.

by taipan Sun 03 Feb 2013, 03:20

Red wrote:Marshall is the Windian bowler he most closely resembles. One advantage the Windies bowlers had of course was the luxury of bowling their overs at a slower pace because this wasn't enforced then and you could bowl in a more intimidatory manner than without the umps stepping in. Steyn's wickets have dried a bit since Philander entered the scene.

Yeah, he's only taken 19 so far in 2013.

by JGK Sun 03 Feb 2013, 03:58

Henry wrote:Should Steyn now be considered South Africa's best fast bowler since re-admission? It would be between him, Donald, and Pollock.

Pollock is some way behind the other two.

by Anthony_Gonzales Sun 03 Feb 2013, 04:08

Steyn - top sportsman. Skills, energy, fitness, attitude - whether the first spell or the end of the day. A credit to the game.

by mynah Sun 03 Feb 2013, 10:34

And we don't get five test Ashes series all the time...

by Red Sun 03 Feb 2013, 10:38

taipan wrote:
Red wrote:Marshall is the Windian bowler he most closely resembles. One advantage the Windies bowlers had of course was the luxury of bowling their overs at a slower pace because this wasn't enforced then and you could bowl in a more intimidatory manner than without the umps stepping in. Steyn's wickets have dried a bit since Philander entered the scene.

Yeah, he's only taken 19 so far in 2013.

And where a month into 2013 and yet Philander's been on the scene for fifteen. Typical sniping comment.

by taipan Sun 03 Feb 2013, 11:16

Red wrote:
taipan wrote:
Red wrote:Marshall is the Windian bowler he most closely resembles. One advantage the Windies bowlers had of course was the luxury of bowling their overs at a slower pace because this wasn't enforced then and you could bowl in a more intimidatory manner than without the umps stepping in. Steyn's wickets have dried a bit since Philander entered the scene.

Yeah, he's only taken 19 so far in 2013.

And where a month into 2013 and yet Philander's been on the scene for fifteen. Typical sniping comment.

In response to a usual meaningless post.

by Red Sun 03 Feb 2013, 11:19

taipan wrote:
Red wrote:
taipan wrote:
Red wrote:Marshall is the Windian bowler he most closely resembles. One advantage the Windies bowlers had of course was the luxury of bowling their overs at a slower pace because this wasn't enforced then and you could bowl in a more intimidatory manner than without the umps stepping in. Steyn's wickets have dried a bit since Philander entered the scene.

Yeah, he's only taken 19 so far in 2013.

And where a month into 2013 and yet Philander's been on the scene for fifteen. Typical sniping comment.

In response to a usual meaningless post.

So I suppose you can prove that Philander's arrival on the scene has had no effect upon the number of wickets Steyn has/would have taken had he not debuted in recent times.

by taipan Sun 03 Feb 2013, 11:22

I would point out the cricket truism about fast bowlers hunting in pairs/packs but it would be wasted on someone who thinks a batman's ability is based on his height.

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Where could Steyn end up in the all time Test wickets list?

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