Fast bowler Dale Steyn relished an extended spell as South Africa dismissed Sri Lanka for 191 – and later climbed to a 170-run lead – on day two of the first Test at Kingsmead in Durban on Thursday.

Steyn was unable to remove stubborn tailenders Lasith Embuldeniya and Kasun Rajitha, who eventually perished to fast bowler Kagiso Rabada and a run-out respectively.

But his final four for 48 were the best figures of the innings. The tally included the wicket that took him past Indian Kapil Dev’s tally of 434  – and levelled with Englishman Stuart Broad’s 437. Steyn is currently Test cricket’s joint seventh-highest wicket-taker.

‘This was a day where I felt there was a wicket there all the time. I just felt like it was there for me, so I just kept going. When they were eight down, I didn’t want Vernon Philander or Keshav Maharaj to come out and bowl a loosener and go for four or six,’ said Steyn.

‘I thought, “I’m going to carry on bowling here until the captain says he’s had enough.” He had had enough after I my sixth over, but I kept begging, and got what I wanted.’

Embuldeniya later took two wickets, as the Proteas’ second innings moved to 126 for four. Captain Faf du Plessis and first-innings half-centurion Quinton de Kock will resume on 25 and 15 not out respectively on Friday.

Photo: Lee Warren | Gallo Images