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| Dale Steyn gets a high-five from the team mascot |
Johannesburg: Dale Steyn’s career-best bowling figures of 11 wickets for 60 runs propelled South Africa to a comprehensive 211-run victory over Pakistan on day four of the first Test, at the Wanderers, on Monday.
In a match of records, South African wicketkeeper AB de Villiers equalled Englishman Jack Russell’s world best of 11 dismissals in a Test that came in the same ground in 1995.
Having set Pakistan, who made their lowest Test total of 49 in the first innings, an improbable 480-run victory target, South Africa bowled them out for 268.
The new ball did the trick as the visitors lost their final six wickets for 59 before the lunch break.
Steyn picked up five second innings wickets to finish with his fifth 10-wicket haul which also earned him the Man of the Match award.
“With all the hype going into the game from a personal point of view, I felt it was always important we won,” South Africa captain Graeme Smith, celebrating his 100th Test as skipper, told reporters.
“To win so comprehensively was even better.
“On Day II we set a standard as a team when we bowled Pakistan out for 49, we must now feel we can achieve that level of performance more often.”
Smith singled out Steyn’s performance following the bowler’s lengthy 10-over spell on Monday on his way to five wickets to go with six from the first innings.
“Dale was outstanding, it was important that someone set the tone for us with the ball and he did that. Everybody followed suit afterwards,” said Smith.
Resuming on 183 for four, Pakistan had added 26 runs to their total in the morning session before the first wicket fell.
Steyn managed to get a delivery to nip away from Asad Shafiq and the edge was pouched low down by Jacques Kallis at second slip.
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