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/ 14 March 2008

Dale Steyn has arrived

Dale Steyn used to be a well-scrubbed bloke who wore a goofy grin that wobbled harmlessly under starry, starry eyes. He was polite and cheerful, and he could bowl a bit. He probably never said ”Well, golly gee.” But if he did, we would have chuckled heartily and ruffled his hair as if the lot of us were in a Spur commercial.

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/ 11 March 2008

Steyn relishes India challenge

Tearaway South Africa speedster Dale Steyn is smacking his lips in anticipation of a battle royal with India’s batsmen in the upcoming three-Test series. Steyn (24) taught Bangladesh a few lessons in fast bowling in the recent two-Test series, from which he bagged 14 wickets, and is now training his guns on India, who have recently returned from their Australia tour.

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/ 7 March 2008

SA wary of Bangladesh backlash

South Africa will look to their fringe players to deliver the goods against an unpredictable Bangladesh in the one-day international series beginning in Chittagong on Sunday. The South Africans have rested key players Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher and Makhaya Ntini for the three one-dayers.

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/ 6 March 2008

Dale Steyn proud of his achievements

South Africa paceman Dale Steyn, fresh from being named player of the series in the recent Bangladesh tour, is proud his name is now being bracketed with some of the world’s best. ”Just to be put in the same bracket like [Muttiah] Muralitharan, Glenn McGrath, Shaun Pollock or Shane Bond, it’s remarkable,” he said in an interview on Thursday.

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/ 5 March 2008

Arthur eyes top spot for Proteas

South Africa cricket coach Mickey Arthur said on Wednesday his team hope to topple Australia from the top of the one-day charts by winning all their one-day internationals against Bangladesh. Australia are currently the best one-day side with 127 points, ahead of South Africa on decimal points.

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/ 2 March 2008

Bangladesh struggle in SA Test

Bangladesh were staring down the barrel after losing a clutch of wickets on the third day of the second and final Test against South Africa on Sunday. The hosts limped to 245-7 at tea with tailenders Mohammad Rafique, batting on 10, and Mashrafe Mortaza (0) at the crease.

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/ 28 February 2008

Proteas rest Kallis, Boucher and Ntini for one-dayers

Senior players Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher and Makhaya Ntini will be rested for South Africa’s limited-overs series against Bangladesh, team officials said on Thursday. Captain Graeme Smith will, however, lead the side in the three-match series starting in Chittagong on March 9, despite speculation that he would return home due to a nagging knee injury.

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/ 26 February 2008

SA quicks impress in Bangladesh

The new generation of South African quicks look all set to establish themselves among the world’s best after their impressive show in unhelpful conditions in Bangladesh. The fastest bowler in the side, Dale Steyn, and comeback man Morne Morkel have a tough job of slipping into the shoes of their illustrious countrymen, Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock.

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/ 7 February 2008

Cricket row described as ‘ridiculous’

Proteas coach Mickey Arthur has laid a counter-charge of ”disrespectful and abusive behaviour” against Cricket South Africa (CSA) chairperson Norman Arendse. Arendse confirmed on Thursday that he had laid a charge against Arthur for ”disrespectful and abusive behaviour and for not complying with CSA’s policy of transformation”.

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/ 3 February 2008

Pollock farewell match ends in victory

There were cheers and tears as Herschelle Gibbs hit a century and helped South Africa cruise to a eight-wicket victory over the West Indies in the fifth MTN one-day international on Sunday, as thousands of fans flocked to the Wanderers to say goodbye to Shaun Pollock, who was playing his last match in green and gold.

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/ 2 February 2008

Pollock bids Durban farewell

AB de Villiers struck a confident 77 while Shaun Pollock bid an emotional home town farewell as South Africa beat the West Indies by five wickets at Kingsmead on Friday to maintain a perfect record in the one-day series. Pollock delighted a capacity crowd by hitting the winning boundary to seal South Africa’s win.

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/ 1 February 2008

Sell-out crowd for Pollock farewell

The Polly Parade reaches its climax this weekend when veteran all-rounder Shaun Pollock plays his last matches for South Africa at Kingsmead on Friday and at the Wanderers on Sunday. With an unassailable three-nil lead over the West Indies in the five-match one-day international series, the Proteas will be looking for a series whitewash.

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/ 26 January 2008

Smith and Pollock shine in SA victory

South Africa beat West Indies by 86 runs in the second one-day international on Friday to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. The home side totalled 255 for nine before bowling out West Indies for 169 in 48.2 overs. Captain Graeme Smith smashed 11 fours in his 86 while JP Duminy hit 68.

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/ 21 January 2008

Duminy guides SA to victory

JP Duminy scored a career-best 79 not out to guide South Africa to a six-wicket victory over West Indies on Sunday in the first game of their five-match one-day series. South Africa won with 12 balls to spare after scoring 176 for four in reply to West Indies’ total of 175. Rain reduced the match to 36 overs a side.

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/ 19 January 2008

Pollock’s farewell starts in victory

Shaun Pollock’s farewell tour of South Africa started in triumph when he steered his team to victory in a Twenty20 international against the West Indies at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Friday. Pollock top-scored with 36 not out off 25 balls as South Africa won by four wickets with four balls to spare.

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/ 17 January 2008

Polly gets set for farewell series

Shaun Pollock said he didn’t want his final round of international matches to be a ”Polly parade” but it is inevitable that South Africa’s star all-rounder will be feted as he makes his last appearances at the country’s major grounds during a five-match one-day international series against the West Indies, which starts at Centurion on Sunday.

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/ 11 January 2008

Pollock announces international retirement

South Africa all-rounder Shaun Pollock announced his retirement from international cricket following the second day’s play of the third Test against the West Indies in Durban on Friday. Pollock (34) only returned to the South Africa line-up for the current Test after having been overlooked by selectors for Test duty in recent months.

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/ 10 January 2008

SA in charge as Smith, Pollock shine

Shaun Pollock made a successful return to Test cricket and captain Graeme Smith smashed a century as South Africa dominated the first day of the series-deciding third Test against the West Indies at Kingsmead on Thursday. Pollock took 4-35 as the West Indies were bowled out for 139 after being sent in to bat.

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/ 1 January 2008

No need to panic, says Arthur

There is no need to panic, insisted Proteas cricket coach Mickey Arthur after South Africa’s humiliating 128-run defeat by the West Indies on Saturday afternoon. ”We’ve won four Test series in a row,” said Arthur after the team practice at Newlands on Monday. ”We intend to win this one too.”

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/ 26 December 2007

Landmark for Smith in Windies Test

Proteas captain Graeme Smith will be leading his team for the 50th time in a Test match in the first Test against the West Indies, starting at St George’s Park on Wednesday. Smith is only the second South African captain, after the late Hansie Cronje, to achieve this landmark. Cronje captained the Proteas on 53 occasions.