Dale Steyn shattered several bowling records

South Africa steamrolled Sri Lanka by 153 runs in the first Test at Galle on Sunday to record only their third win in 11 Tests in the island nation and not surprisingly pace ace Dale Steyn was the driving force. The 31-year-old Steyn has been at the center of several Proteas triumphs at home and away over the last 10 years but his achievements in Sri Lanka where pitches have traditionally assisted spinners will become part of folklore. On a Galle surface where the visiting spinner picked up only one wicket Steyn stepped up ripping through the Sri Lankan side with his 23rd fifer and then ran through the hosts again in the second innings picking up a four-for also for the 23rd time in his 73-Test career. The 9/99 he finished with after the opening Test was Steyns best match figures against Sri Lanka in Tests as he bettered the 6/54 at Centurion in December 2011. This is also the best bowling performance by a South African in a Test vs Sri Lankan in Sri Lanka. In fact no other fast bowler has done as well in a Test played at Galle which hosted its first five-day match back in June 1998. Steyn is no stranger to sub-continetnal conditions thanks to his long stints at the Indian Premier League. He used his experience on batting friendly surfaces and turning pitches to good use becoming the first non-Asian fast bowler to complete 80 wickets at an average of 22.17 in 16 Tests.