Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel are a pair to fear

Splendour and savagery may not often go hand in hand but savage splendour is not necessarily an oxymoron. What are the lions in the African forest if not full of splendour! Surely they possess a touch of savagery too.

This rare mix can perhaps be seen in the bowling of Dale Steyn, particularly when there is a bit of life, bounce and fizz in the pitch. In the first Test at SuperSport Park, he exhibited his savagery in the most splendorous way. His bowling has been a poetry in motion with some lethal deliveries. Poor Indians!

But the question is would he be as dangerous without able support from the other end? The success for the world’s No1 bowler may, perhaps, not have been as striking if not for his partner Morne Morkel’s proactive role. “

Cricket is all about partnerships, both batting and bowling. More so in bowling because there are more batsmen than bowlers in the team,” says Shaun Pollock, pointing Morkel’s contribution to Steyn’s success. “The benefit, of course, is mutual, not just for Steyn. Each helps the other’s success,” says the former South Africa captain who virtually had to make way for Steyn in the national team in 2008.
Morkel and Steyn have lately emerged as one of the fearsome bowling combinations. It may be a tad early to compare them with dangerous combinations of Wes Hall and Roy Gilchrist, Andy Roberts and Michael Holding, Sarfraz Nawaz and Imran Khan, Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson or our very own Kapil Dev and Karsan Ghavri but the two South Africans have already made a statement. In 10 Tests this year, they have taken 90 wickets, with Steyn having 48 scalps although, Morkel had three five-wicket hauls since he became the permanent partner of Steyn. At Centurion, he also took his 100th wicket.
“They are a bit like Ray Lindwall and Keith Miller of Australia. Their styles compliment. Like Miller, Morkel has high arm action and Steyn is roundish like that of Lindwall,” says a South African team spokesman.
Pollock takes the point further. “Morne is tall and his bowling is bouncy and pacey. Dale is short and he is a skiddy customer. His late swing with such pace is dangerous. They don’t let the batsmen settle,” he analyses. According to Pollock, the taller Morkel generates more pace and bounce while Steyn skids the ball through almost at the same length and from the same line. Double whammy, that is.
Morkel got the new ball only after Makhaya Ntini retired last year. Now he is sure what his role in the side is.  Both Steyn and Morkel have had their upbringing here in Pretoria having played for Titans of Northern Province. Lately however, Steyn has moved to Cape Town, preferring to play for the Cape Cobras of the Western Province. But they are still good friends.
In the first Test here, their on-field association left the Indians in a daze. The two have claimed eight of India’s first innings wickets. It needs to be seen how many more they end up taking in the second innings. India coach Gary Kirsten has seen both Morkel and Steyn grow into a dangerous combination. The onus is now on the Indians to find a solution to unravel the lethal combo. Or else…