After two days of hesitancy, half pace and a shortened run-up, South African spearhead Dale Steyn is set to unleash his fiery best in Johannesburg.
Steyn made a timely return from a fractured rib in South Africa’s ongoing three-day practice match against a Combined XI at the Wanderers.
On Tuesday and Wednesday there were glimpses of Steyn’s brutal best that has destroyed batting attacks around the world, but the 30-year-old understandably looked a long way off his best.
South Africa’s bowling coach Allan Donald expects that will change on Thursday, with Steyn aiming to produce one spell at full speed before next week’s opening Test against Australia in Centurion.
“At the end (of the Combined’s innings) he started bowling a little bit quicker, running in a little bit harder,” Donald said.
“So tomorrow we’ll probably see Dale bowl one spell off a nice long run-up and with full momentum.
“Hopefully four or five overs of full intensity, so I’m looking forward to that.
“The biggest thing when you are coming back from a rib injury is the confidence in trusting that part of the body … but for a guy who hasn’t bowled a ball in a month, it hasn’t been the worst outing.”
Donald made it clear Steyn would not be a passenger when the three-Test series starts on Wednesday.
“We can’t afford for him to ease into it. I know (captain) Graeme (Smith) wants him to be full tilt right from the start,” he said.
“Come next week, on day one of that Test I think he’ll be absolutely fine.”
Donald noted he was impressed by Mitchell Johnson’s performances in the Ashes, especially his ability to keep England under near-constant pressure.
“He never gave England a sniff, he was so tight,” he said.
“His overall control was the best I’ve seen for a long time … there’s no question Mitch Johnson will be a big factor in this series.”