Dale Steyn successfully negotiated the first stage of the road to redemption when he ended with figures of 2-92 off a testing 26 overs for Hampshire against Surrey in the county championship.

Steyn, having been out of action with a heel injury since the first Test against India in early January, needs to prove his match fitness and staying power if he is to be selected for the Proteas tour of Sri Lanka starting in July.

Team doctor Mohammed Moosajee has intimated that Steyn’s stay in Hampshire will be a fitness test for him. While his figures in the one-day match were uninspiring, at least he got overs under his belt and was getting back to a rhythm in this match against Surrey.

He took his first wicket since that Test match against India by dismissing Sam Curran and followed that by trapping Jade Dernbach lbw as Surrey accumulated 368. Fidel Edwards revelled in the conditions, taking 5-93.

Hampshire, though, struggled even more, with Morne Morkel taking  2-35, including Hampshire’s top scorer, Rilee Rossouw (46), to help dismiss the hosts for 135 (Steyn 8, not out). They have been asked to follow on, 233 behind.

Duanne Olivier continued his dramatic attack as Derbyshire rolled over Durham in their second innings. Olivier, who took 5-20 in 16 overs in Durham’s first innings of 96, then added another three for 51.  Hardus Viljoen also enhanced his match figures with 2-25 in the second innings to go alongside his 3-30 in the first wave. Rain stopped play with Durham on 155-6, a lead of 46.

Elsewhere, the Essex and Warriors off-spinner Simon Harmer, named the Player of the Sunfoil Series in the latest CSA awards, ended with 3-35 off 22 overs, an economy rate of just 1.54 as Lancashire were held to 301. Essex  though failed to capitalise, and when rain stopped play they were 221-6.

Rory Kleinveldt took 4-51 as Northants restricted Leicestershire to 217 and a lead of just 13 runs in the first innings. Northants were 165-3 at the close, a lead of 152.

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