Proteas fast bowler Dale Steyn’s return to competitive cricket will be facilitated by an appearance for Western Province Cricket Club in Saturday, 27 February 2016’s key Western Province Cricket Association premier league fixture against St Augustine Cricket Club.
Sidelined by groin and shoulder injuries, Steyn has not played international cricket since December last year, but is determined to be ready for next month’s three Twenty20 Internationals against Australia – and the World Twenty20 in India.
“Dale will play for WPCC on Saturday. But he will only play the first day of the two-day fixture,” Steyn’s agent, Dave Rundle, told Club Cricket SA.
“He wants game time before the World T20, and this will provide him with that. He has all the necessary clearance needed to play.”
WPCA club and facilities coordinator, Thulani Zideba, added: “The local leagues committee has approved Steyn’s participation in the fixture between WPCC and St Augustine CC.”
The 32-year-old Steyn will play for a formidable WPCC unit, who are only second to Cape Town Cricket Club in the WPCA premier league standings. St Augustine Cricket Club, meanwhile, are in fifth position on the 10-team log.
The match will be played at the Vineyard Oval in Claremont, Cape Town.
This is not the first time an international cricketer has played club cricket in the Western Cape relatively recently, after former South Africa captain Graeme Smith and ex-fast bowler Charl Langeveldt enjoyed brief stints with Claremont Cricket Club and Durbanville Cricket Club, respectively, earlier this decade.
