When you talk about some of the greatest fast bowlers of all time, Dale Steyn's name is in that category.
South Africa has produced a plethora of outstanding bowlers in Allan Donald, Makahya Ntini, Shaun Pollock, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander, Jacques Kallis and Hugh Tyfield in representing the rainbow nation.
But none were more frightening and fierce than Steyn.
Coming onto the Test scene in 2004 against England, Steyn went from strength to strength in becoming the country's best bowler, taking 439 wickets in 93 Tests at an outstanding bowling average of 22.95 and a strike rate of 42.39. He possessed a terrific outswinger and inswinger and sheer brutal yorkers leaving the batsmen's stumps sprawling.
Whilst his bowling put fear into opposition batsmen, his wicket celebrations and "crazy eyes" would have made the youngest cricket fans quickly retreat from their living rooms. Despite battling a shoulder injury in the twilight of his career, it doesn't take away from the fact that the man from Phalaborwa, in South Africa's Transvaal Province, would imprint himself among cricket's greats.
In this piece, we'll take a dive into the top five moments of Dale Steyn's illustrious cricketing career.
3. 2008 ICC Player of the Year
After a breakout 2007 in which he took 44 wickets, including a stellar 6/49 against New Zealand at The Centurion, Steyn would rise to greater heights, stamping himself as the best young bowler in the game.
A year that goes down as one of the greatest by any South African player, the superstar fast bowler had all opposition batsmen trembling with nervousness. Steyn finished with 74 wickets at a phenomenal average of 20.01 and a strike rate of 35.80.
Some of his spectacular bowling displays include tearing apart India's vaunted batting lineup taking 5/23 in the second test at Ahmedabad, 5/67 against Australia in the Boxing Day test propelling the Proteas to victory, 4/48 in the second innings against Bangladesh in Dhaka, and 4/76 against England at Leeds.
The then-25-year-old was at the peak of his powers as batsmen had no clue how to play him, in particular his deadly yorkers.
Speaking to ESPN Cricinfo after receiving the award, Steyn said: "I have had a pretty decent year I suppose but I didn't think about winning this award until the past few days. I don't really know how I feel. Perhaps tomorrow morning it will have sunk in for me because obviously this is a huge award and it's massive for me."
Steyn is one of two South Africans to win the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year Award - the other being the legendary Jacques Kallis (2005).
