Setting The Pace In Test Cricket

"Always add 2 wickets to the current score", Geoff Boycott used to say.

And nothing gets wickets in international cricket like great fast bowlers.Shane Warne is special, Muttiah Murilaritharan is magical but only someone like Dennis Lilee or Malcom Marshall were the real kings over 22 yards.

Going back a decade or so, sitting in the stands at any venue in South African cricket provided an opportunity to witness at least five or six world class quick bowlers playing for the Proteas.

It gave South African cricket an especially competitive team in the Test arena and gave them more than a chance against very strong batting line ups of the '90's, like Australia, England and India.

Any of the following names were in contention: Alan Anthony Donald, Brett Schultz, Fanie de Villiers, Craig Matthews, Richard Snell, Steven Jack, Brian McMillian; the list just seemed to go on and on. But as the 90's came and went and the resurgence of wrist spin in its various fabulous variants emerged, quality pace bowling seemed to take a back seat.

The advent of power plays,flat pitches and the pro 20 game has reduced many a potential speed merchant into a whimpering medium paced pie chucking mess.

This situation seemed to affect South Africa immensely in last year's ICC World  Cup, held in the fast-bowler friendly Caribbean. Shaun Pollock, all round gentleman and arguably SA's greatest new-ball bowler ever, was made to look ordinary by monster batsmen who seemed to be using pieces of off-cut Imbuia and not a piece of English willow.

South Africa struggled througout that summer, although bowlers like Andre Nel and a valiant Makhaya Ntini tried to carry things. Luckily for South Africa and its supporters the times they are a-changing.

Two names are on everybody's lips. DALE STEYN and MORNE MORKEL.

If compared in physical appearance alone, two names come to mind and they can only come from the Windies.

Morne Morkel has all the pace, bounce and controlled hostility as the great Curtly Ambrose. Some might say that this may be too early on in his career for such comparisons; however, those in the know (no less Alan Donald) believe this tall right-hander will easily reach 300 test wickets. The mouth waters....

His partner in cricket crime has only the greatest fast bowler ever to compare to and yes, many including myself would suggest Wasim Akram, Dennis Lillee or Fred Trueman.

But surely Malcom Marshall is the only comparison.

Dale Steyn has blown all away in his very short career and, barring serious injury, will become the greatest fast bowler ever to play for the Rainbow nation. No bowler, including contemporaries like Brett Lee, Mohammad Asif, the banned Shoab Akhtar (who a whole new article can be written about!) has his combination pace, late movement both ways and sheer heart.

In conclusion, this English summer will see one main battle: the greatest pure striker in the game, SA born Kevin Pietersen, and two young guns; Morkel and Steyn.

Lets put the feet up, the helmets on and the odd box or two and await the onslaught!