Dale Steyn quickest to claim 400 Test wickets in least amount of deliveries

 Dale Steyn claimed his 400th Test scalp as he shared six wickets with JP Duminy, putting South Africa on top on the first day of the second and final Test against Bangladesh here yesterday

Mirpur: Dale Steyn claimed his 400th Test scalp as he shared six wickets with JP Duminy, putting South Africa on top on the first day of the second and final Test against Bangladesh here yesterday.


South Africa pacer Dale Steyn bowls on Day One of the second Test against Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur yesterday. Pic/AFP 

Steyn became the fastest bowler to bag 400 Test wickets in terms of balls bowled. Former New Zealand pacer Richard Hadlee, who was the previous quickest to the milestone in terms of balls bowled, took at least 3,600 deliveries more than those taken by Steyn. The South African pacer took 16,634 balls to reach the milestone.

The 32-year-old tearaway fast bowler was second quickest to the milestone along with Hadlee, in terms of matches played — 80. Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan did it in 72 matches.

Steyn claimed 3-30 while off-spinner Duminy took 3-27, as a mini collapse in the final session restricted Bangladesh to 246-8 at stumps. Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim scored the lone half-century for Bangladesh and made a 94-run partnership with Mahmudullah for the fourth wicket.

Steyn struck early in the day making opener Tamim Iqbal his 400th Test scalp. Steyn almost reached the landmark in his second over of the day but Dean Elgar dropped Tamim at second slip. Skipper Hashim Amla made no mistake in Steyn's next over when he took a chest-high catch at first slip.

"It's a mix of different emotions really," said Steyn, who was wearing a Dennis Lillee-style headband on the field after growing his hair long. "I don't really know what to say. It's pretty cool to take the wickets and get the headband off and get the hair off," he told reporters after the day's play. "I think I have taken some abuse about my hair. That doesn't influence my bowling at all."

Brief scores
Bangladesh 246-8 (M Rahim 65, M Haque 40, Shakib 35, Mahmudullah; JP Duminy 3-27, D Steyn 3-30) vs SA

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