Dale Steyn’s excellent performance on his return to action with Hampshire was not enough to stave off a six-wicket defeat.
After his return to Test cricket in the 2-0 series defeat to Sri Lanka, Steyn went back to the county cricket circuit, where he celebrated his new-found fitness with a winners medal in the One-Day cup competition.
Although he was left out of the Proteas team for the five-match ODI series and a T20 in Sri Lanka, Steyn has targeted the World Cup next year as his white-ball farewell.
On Wednesday night he produced an excellent spell of bowling against Somerset, conceding just 21 runs in his four overs, including capturing the wicket of England Lions batsman James Hildreth caught behind. He also sent down 14 dot balls during his four overs.
Hampshire could only muster a target of 130 for Somerset to chase, and an unbeaten 54 from Johann Myburgh (the former SA Under 19 batsman who left South Africa in 2007), helped the team over the line with six wickets in hand.
Myburgh, who hit his maiden T20 century last week, has announced he will retire at the end of this season.
Elsewhere, Colin Ackermann hammered 74 off 52 balls (eight fours, one six), but that too was in a losing cause as Leicestershire went down by 20 runs to Durham.
Photo: Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images
