Dale Steyn faces another injury lay-off

Dale Steyn has had a horrible run of injuries over the last two years, hampering his bid to become South Africa’s record test wicket-taker.

South African fast bowler Dale Steyn could be set for another stint on the sidelines after picking up a groin injury in a county cricket match on Monday. The 35-year-old, who will undergo an examination of the problem on Tuesday, was unable to complete his 11th over for Hampshire against Nottinghamshire at Southampton and was forced to leave the field.

Dale Steyn has injured his groin playing for (Getty Images)

Steyn has had a horrible run of injuries over the last two years, hampering his bid to become South Africa’s record test wicket-taker, though he did equal the record in Sri Lanka last month. Steyn and Shaun Pollock have each taken 421 test wickets.

A serious shoulder injury kept him out for most of last year before a heel problem sustained in his comeback test against India in February sidelined him once more.

Steyn became South Africa’s joint-highest Test wicket taker when he dismissed Lakshan Sandakan for six in the second innings of the first Test against Sri Lanka at Galle, equalling fellow fast bowler Pollock’s record of 421 dismissals. While Pollock achieved the feat in 108 Tests, Steyn took 21 Tests less to equal the record. Steyn’s bowling average of 22.42 is slightly better than Pollock’s average of 23.11. In 47 home Tests, he bagged 243 wickets while he picked another 164 in 36 away games.