DALE STEYN has been honoured by leading cricket website ESPN Cricinfo for his match-winning bowling performance against India at Nagpur last year.
Steyn took career-best figures of 7/51 on a flat pitch to help the Proteas’ Castle Test squad beat India by an innings in the first of two Test matches played in February, 2010.
ESPN Cricinfo’s jury voted Steyn’s effort the best Test match bowling performance during the period under review. The awards were announced in Bangaluru, where the Proteas are currently based, on Monday.
India’s VVS Laxman won the batting award for his innings of 96 against the Proteas at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead in December while Sachin Tendulkar’s unique double century against the Proteas at Gwalior last year was predictably named the ODI batting performance of the year.
The voting of the judging panel is indicative that the Test series (both in India and South Africa) rivalry between the Proteas and India provided the most significant contests in world cricket in 2010.
Steyn’s performances in the past 6 months will make him a strong contender when the ICC hold their own awards ceremony in the second half of this year. He was previously named Test cricketer of the year in 2008.
The Proteas play their second warm-up match for the ICC Cricket World Cup against Australia on Tuesday (11am start SA time).
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