South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn has announced his retirement from cricket.
The 38-year-old, considered one of the finest bowlers of his generation, made the announcement on social media, calling time on his 18-year professional career.
Former teammates and opponents wished him well after a brilliant career menacing the world’s batsmen.
Former South Africa captain and dynamic batsman AB de Villiers called him a ‘legend forever’ while .
“Great player, great man, amazing memories! U picker (picked) a good song to sign off my bud. Legend forever!,” De Villiers replied to Steyn’s post.
“Go well, great man,” said Virender Sehwag. “You were fire, one of the best the game has seen.”
“Today I officially retire from the game I love most. Bitter sweet but graceful,” Steyn said on Twitter.
“Thank you to everyone, from family to teammates, journalists to fans, it’s been an incredible journey together.”
Steyn, who made his Test debut in 2004 on home soil against England, added: “It’s been 20 years of training, matches, travel, wins, losses, strapped feet, jet lag, joy and brotherhood.
“There are too many stories to tell. Too many faces to thank.”
Steyn appeared in 93 Test matches for South Africa, taking 439 wickets, and played his last Test against Sri Lanka in 2019.
He also represented the Proteas in 125 one-day internationals and 47 T20Is.
He played for four English county sides – Essex, Warwickshire, Glamorgan and Hampshire – and joined Kandy Tuskers for the 2020 Lanka Premier League in November last year and also played for Melbourne Stars in the BBL.
Steyn was named ICC 2008 Test Cricketer of the Year and Wisden’s Leading Cricketer in the World in 2013 and was the No.1 bowler in the ICC Test rankings for a record 263 weeks between 2008 and 2014.
The speed demon closes the curtain on a 20-year career in which he became South Africa’s highest wicket-taker in Tests and arguably the country’s greatest ever fast bowler.
Steyn retired from the five-day game in 2019 but had been available for limited-overs cricket and hoped to play at the Twenty20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates later this year, though he had not featured in the team since February last year.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Would have been very effective in India against the great local bats of their era.
JGK
Roar Guru
An opening attack of Steyn and McGrath would have been a nightmare. Very different approaches but each as effective as the other.
Keith
Guest
Salute. Not only one of the best fast bowlers of this generation for all conditions, a super athlete as well. Steyn would easily walk into a world test XI and has stats to compare with and even better some of the finest the game has seen. There has been no better fast bowler to visit Asia. The challenge will be for Cummins so if he can repeat Steyns feat
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Yes Blended, correct. I have seen it twice, last time more than two years ago.
AJ73
Roar Rookie
Blended was the movie, it was on the other night.
Lukestar
Roar Rookie
You are full of tid bits and trivia. Love it! :thumbup:
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Perhaps a lesser known accomplished of Steyn's is that he had a small speaking part in an Adam Sandler movie in 2014.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
There’s not. One of the all time greats. He was exciting to watch too. Didn’t grind them down with accuracy like McGrath although he was accurate. Always something happening when he was bowling.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
Will go down as one of the greatest ever bowlers. Has to be in the conversation at the very top of the all time quicks debate. Can I just say a big thank you to the editors. It should be considered journalistic blasphemy to copy a tweet from social media then go and print the exact same words used in the tweet again in the next paragraph. We don't need to read the same thing twice (three times if it's used in the tittle).
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
If there's a way to dismiss or diminish his 42 balls per wicket over 439 test wickets I'm all ears ... who in history is better or even as good across such a wide range of conditions other than Malcolm Marshall ... there might be a few come close mind you.