Childhood is coming to an end slowly. First AB and now Hash-Dale.
I haven't seen Glenn McGrath in his prime so I can't compare but in his prime Dale Steyn was a killer. Undoubtedly he was the best fast bowler I've seen in my life as a cricket fanatic. Test cricket is a game of high demands and both these gentleman's had their things to fill the demand. I've never seen any other batsman in the world who doesn't have "front-foot" properly. But Amla still managed to be remembered as one of the best artists with the bat.
Steyn was among those rarest of the rare quality who were able to swing the ball both sides of the wicket with blistering pace (145 kmph+/-). Extra aura Steyn added to him by his ability to perform with excellence in any condition. One proof for it was his 51-7 at Nagpur! Dale was one of the those who were loved by the rival fans in spite of being an animated aggressive character. His fist pump after every dismissal, his muttering towards the batsman whenever the ball missed and edge or went for four after getting an edge -all these animated, dramatic scenes were absolute entertainment.
Hashim Amla is someone who tried to follow Sir Bradman's theory of "The much you'll play the ground shots, your chance of getting out will get less." Those who mocks Amla for being a back-foot dependent player, don't know that the man with 99.94 test match average with the bat was also a back-foot dependent player. Amla was never a flamboyant character. The height of limelight AB, Faf even young Miller or others got, he never got such. But who cares, he didn't. He is the attestor of that kind of batsmen for whom saving the team and taking the flock ahead in the most deadly situations was much more important than to be flamboyant.
The departure of these two at a time when test cricket was added with newly flavour with the start of the World Test Championship, will be rendering the format. Test cricket and it's fans, more than Dale and Hashim, will miss these two Protea legends.
In the end, I wish a very Happy retirement to both of you!
©Soham
I haven't seen Glenn McGrath in his prime so I can't compare but in his prime Dale Steyn was a killer. Undoubtedly he was the best fast bowler I've seen in my life as a cricket fanatic. Test cricket is a game of high demands and both these gentleman's had their things to fill the demand. I've never seen any other batsman in the world who doesn't have "front-foot" properly. But Amla still managed to be remembered as one of the best artists with the bat.
Steyn was among those rarest of the rare quality who were able to swing the ball both sides of the wicket with blistering pace (145 kmph+/-). Extra aura Steyn added to him by his ability to perform with excellence in any condition. One proof for it was his 51-7 at Nagpur! Dale was one of the those who were loved by the rival fans in spite of being an animated aggressive character. His fist pump after every dismissal, his muttering towards the batsman whenever the ball missed and edge or went for four after getting an edge -all these animated, dramatic scenes were absolute entertainment.
Hashim Amla is someone who tried to follow Sir Bradman's theory of "The much you'll play the ground shots, your chance of getting out will get less." Those who mocks Amla for being a back-foot dependent player, don't know that the man with 99.94 test match average with the bat was also a back-foot dependent player. Amla was never a flamboyant character. The height of limelight AB, Faf even young Miller or others got, he never got such. But who cares, he didn't. He is the attestor of that kind of batsmen for whom saving the team and taking the flock ahead in the most deadly situations was much more important than to be flamboyant.
The departure of these two at a time when test cricket was added with newly flavour with the start of the World Test Championship, will be rendering the format. Test cricket and it's fans, more than Dale and Hashim, will miss these two Protea legends.
In the end, I wish a very Happy retirement to both of you!
©Soham
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