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South Africa's annual cricket awards

'My control has improved' - Steyn

Cricinfo staff

June 19, 2008

	Dale Steyn: "The Duke ball has a prouder seam and once you get the lacquer off, you can really get it swinging" © Getty Images

Dale Steyn, the fast bowler who was named South Africa's Cricketer of the Year, has attributed his excellent season in Tests to improved ball-control. In the four months of Test cricket South Africa have played this year, Steyn picked up 44 wickets at 15.29 from seven matches.

"My control has definitely improved and it's like anything: once you enjoy a bit of success, you feel confident you can do it again and again and you get on a roll," Steyn said after winning in all four categories that he was nominated for in South Africa's annual cricket awards. He said his career was greatly influenced by Shaun Pollock. "I really put a guy like 'Polly' up on a podium because for him it wasn't the awards or the acclaim that he was after. He only cared about results and whether the team was winning,"

South Africa have two big tours this year - to England this month and Australia in December - and Steyn was upbeat about his side's chances of winning. "I would really like to have a go at them and I'll be hoping to perform at my best against them and help the team to beat them."

Steyn compared his bowling style to that of James Anderson, the England right-arm fast bowler, who picked up 19 wickets in the three-Test series against New Zealand, including a career-best 7 for 43 in the first innings at Trent Bridge. "The way conditions have suited him [Anderson] and the way he's been blasting through batsmen are very encouraging," said Steyn, who will be making his first tour to England. He was also looking forward to bowling with the Duke ball. "Obviously the pitches are important over there, but the Duke ball has a prouder seam and once you get the lacquer off, you can really get it swinging."

South Africa begin their tour of England at the end of June, with the first of four Tests starting on July 10 at Lord's.

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