Minimum six months on sidelines for Steyn

South Africa pace bowler Dale Steyn won’t be able to return to bowling for at least six months after undergoing surgery on his fractured right shoulder last week.

Steyn, the world’s number two-ranked Test bowler, suffered the injury when bowling in the first innings of this month’s first Commonwealth Bank Test between the Proteas and Australia in Perth.

The 33-year-old returned home to Cape Town before his team had secured a 177-run win at the WACA Ground to take a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series and underwent surgery there last Thursday.

In confirming the extent of Steyn’s shoulder fracture, a rarity among bowlers and more often associated with victims of trauma such as road accidents or falls, South Africa’s team manager and chief medical officer Dr Mohammed Moosajee had claimed they were unsure for how long the champion bowler would be sidelined.

But in the wake of the surgery, the Proteas have confirmed that Steyn won’t be able to begin bowling until at least next May, by which time he will be on the cusp of turning 34.

Since their return to world cricket after isolation as a result of the country’s race-based apartheid laws, the only South Africa fast bowlers to have played past their 34th birthday in Test cricket have been Allan Donald (35), Shaun Pollock (34) and Steve Elworthy (37).

But the Proteas are “positive” that Steyn will make a full recovery from the injury and return to international cricket.

“Dale had successful surgery on Thursday where the fracture in the right shoulder blade was fixated with the placement of a screw,” Dr Moosajee said in a statement released by the South Africa team today.

“We expect a minimum six-month rehabilitation period before he can start any form of bowling. 

“It is crucial to give the injury enough time to heal and to make sure that he is completely pain-free before he starts bowling again. 

“He will begin with his rehabilitation programme once the satisfactory bony healing has taken place; this is expected to be in a few weeks. 

“We are positive that he will make a successful return to international cricket. 

“He will be provided with the best possible support and guidance led by our physiotherapist, Brandon Jackson, and Cricket South Africa’s medical committee, which will give him the best opportunity to make a successful return to full fitness.

Steyn, who admitted in the wake of the injury that he had returned to bowling too soon after suffering a stress reaction in his shoulder late last year, has taken 417 wickets at an average of 22.30 since making his Test debut in 2004.

He needs just five more wickets to overtake Pollock (421) as South Africa’s most successful Test bowler.