Ferocious Dale Steyn prefers to avoid spotlight
West Indian and Australian fast bowlers of the past, statistics are in his favour.
When he reached 300 test wickets against New Zealand last month in his 61st match, he was the third fastest bowler in tests to do so after Muttiah Muralitharan (58th) and Dennis Lillee (56th).
Of players with 300 or more test wickets, no-one has a better strike-rate than Steyn's of a wicket every 41 balls.
But what makes him certainly the best quick of his generation is not just his pace, but the ability to get the ball to do what he wants.
His career best figures came in India when he took seven for 51 in Nagpur on a flat wicket in 2010.
The conditions were not suited to him, but when the wicket offers little pace, he turns to swing, bounce and seam movement.
"When it is coming out nicely then speed becomes less important because you just let the ball do the work," he said.
"A couple of years ago I was conscious of strike rates and always wanted to take wickets to lead the attack. This attack is led by everyone.
"Morne Morkel has opened the bowling on a number of occasions and Vernon has stepped in and stood up to the plate.
"Jacques Kallis is a legend in his own right and we have had some good spinners.
"We are enjoying our cricket and that helps you to be successful. As long as the team is winning that is the most important thing."
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