Dale Steyn accelerating towards milestone

IT takes a truly great fast bowler to outpace Malcolm Marshall and Sir Richard Hadlee. But Dale Steyn could do it.

IT takes a truly great fast bowler to outpace Malcolm Marshall and Sir Richard Hadlee. Dale Steyn could do it.

The South African pace prince, mysteriously down on form in the first two Tests, roared to life yesterday at the WACA Ground, decimating Australia's top order with a blistering spell of sustained pace aggression and unnerving late swing.

Steyn started the Test on 292 Test wickets and his four victims took him within striking distance of reaching the cherished 300-wicket mark in this series.

He has played just 60 Tests and the merit of his performance is judged by the statistical company he is keeping.

If he reached 300 wickets in this Test he will do so in one fewer than West Indian great Marshall, considered by many to be the greatest fast bowler of all time, and New Zealand icon Hadlee.

Only two bowlers - Dennis Lillee (56) and Muttiah Muralidaran (58) - have got there quicker.

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Steyn was overdue for wickets in this series. He took just five in the first two Tests and by no means was he unlucky.

His pace had slipped from the roaring mid-140km/h to the modest mid-130km/h.

He was struggling to swing the ball and when he did it was earlier than the famous viperously late outswingers he managed yesterday.

Even as Australia despaired there was something mesmeric about watching Steyn surge through his first spell yesterday.

His first ball of the day to Dave Warner drew a wafted edge and soon after he squared up nightwatchman Nathan Lyon - who only just survived a withering assault the previous evening - for another edge to slips cordon now on red alert.

But his peach of the morning was saved for when it was most needed - to extract Michael Clarke.

The man who is in better form than any batsmen in cricket was squared up by one that moved away after pitching on a perfect line.

Steyn knew he had to find something at the WACA.

Before the game he said: "I always pride myself on standing up and doing something when we really need it and hopefully in this game something like that can happen.

"There's a bit more want, a bit more need. It all boils down to the last five days, and that extra push.

"I'll do everything I can in this game to try and get a result and get the wickets to win this Test match.

"Why would I want to come to Australia and be below average or on average? I can remember the last time I came here I had a massive game in Melbourne but the other two Test matches I don't think I did too great. But it was a fantastic tour for me.

"I've gone two games where I haven't gone too great and hopefully if I can have a fantastic game in this one I'll be pretty happy.

"If we win this series that's my main thing."