CAPE TOWN. – Dale Steyn, one of South Africa’s finest-ever bowlers and senior Cape Cobras stalwart, waltzed through his fitness test without a frown on his face, but Wayne Parnell’s comeback-trail and his quest for higher honours came to a halt due to a Cobras stalwart, foot injury, last week.
According to Shane Jabaar, the Cape Cobras physiotherapist, Steyn had little trouble in passing his fitness test at PPC Newlands, but Parnell had to be pulled out of the South Africa A-match against England at Pietermaritzburg due to a hind foot injury.
Parnell was in splendid form in the 2015/2016-season, taking 10 wickets in four Momentum One Day Cup matches, batting superbly at the top of the order in the Ram Slam T20 Challenge clashes and also nipping out 4-20 in a match against the Dolphins at SuperSport Park against a batting line-up that included Kevin Pietersen and David Miller.
He will be out of action for at least 10 days, according to Jabaar. He suffered complications after the Ram Slam T20 Challenge semi-final knockout-match against the Sunfoil Dolphins. He was ruled out of the South Africa A match and replaced by his Cape colleague Dane Paterson.
Steyn is South Africa’s most successful bowler ever at PPC Newlands, where the second test will take place from 2nd January. He has also nabbed out 38 batsmen in seven tests at Kingsmead in Durban where South Africa and England will start the test series on Boxing Day.
According to Jabaar, Steyn looked in good spirits while doing his running drills, fielding and bowling in the nets at PPC Newlands, and he is fired up to represent the Proteas again.
Dry conditions at Kingsmead could suit Steyn as his ability to take wickets with reverse swing contributed to his rich haul of 9-147 in the Boxing Day test against India in 2013. South Africa won by 10 wickets.
Steyn has taken 65 wickets in 13 tests at PPC Newlands and was one of the destroyers-in-chief when the Proteas restricted Australia to 49 in 2011 and New Zealand to 45 in the 2012/2013-series at the iconic ground.