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Steyn following heart to Cape
15/04/2008 22:02 - (SA)
Christo Buchner , Beeld
Johannesburg - National cricket coach Mickey Arthur has confirmed that Titans fast bowler Dale Steyn will be available for the Cape Cobras next season.
"Dale is definitely moving to Cape Town," Arthur said after the Proteas' arrival from India on Tuesday. "It makes sense because he owns a house down there and his girlfriend lives there.
"But I don't know how often he'll be playing for the Cobras next season," Arthur said, referring to the national team's stacked programme.
Steyn, who is now second only to Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan in the world rankings for bowlers, may be playing his last match for the Titans this week - against his new team.
The Titans meet the Cobras in a Standard Bank Pro20 series semi-final in Cape Town on Sunday.
Titans CEO Elise Lombard still said last Sunday Steyn had told coach Richard Pybus he was staying with the Pretoria-based franchise.
Steyn and the other Titans in the national squad, AB de Villiers, Morné Morkel and Paul Harris, will all play against the Cobras this weekend.
Not too happy
Proteas captain Graeme Smith and JP Duminy are the only Cobras players who returned from the SA team's tour on Tuesday.
Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher and Ashwell Prince remained in India where they will feature in the Indian Premier League action from the start.
"I suspect there are a few players in India who are not too happy that their franchises here are not making use of them," Smith said with a smile.
Arthur said he did not foresee many, if any, changes in the SA squad to tour England in June.
He dismissed as laughable the Cosatu claims that South Africa had lost the third Test in India because there were only three blacks in the team.
The trade union organisation also said in the statement the "white cricket team" was not as good as it thought it was.
Arthur responded by saying Cosatu should note that South Africa had played in 39 internationals during the past season and lost only seven.
"This was certainly the best season South Africa has had in years; the players deserve all the credit," he added.
Arthur also confirmed that a training camp would be held from June 15 before the team's June 23 departure for England.
He is delighted that Neil McKenzie will be playing for England county side Durham before the start of the tour.
"This is a golden opportunity to get accustomed with conditions over there. Morné Morkel will also play for Yorkshire and will have enough time to find out what the correct length is to bowl over there."
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