I feel like I am 20 now, starting over: Dale Steyn

Durban, February 15: Dale Steyn bowled his way past another milestone and enabled South Africa to gain an advantage over Sri Lanka on the second day of the first Test at Kingsmead on Thursday and admitted he felt he had "started over" following a two-year struggle against injuries.

Steyn, 35, took 4 for 48 as South Africa took a first innings lead of 44. They stretched their lead to 170 by reaching 126 for four at the close. It took Steyn's career total to 437 Test wickets, moving him past India's Kapil Dev (434) and drawing level with Stuart Broad of England in joint seventh place on the all-time list.

"It's just a blessing to be able to be playing again," he said. "I almost feel like I've had to start over. I don't feel I'm on 430-odd wickets, I'm on probably twenty. It's nice to finish a Test series against Pakistan and not have someone saying he's an injury away from retiring and it's nice to contribute again. Hopefully it can continue a bit longer."

Steyn bowled a ten-over spell after lunch in an effort to blow away Sri Lanka's tail, which he said he believed was only the third time in a 92-Test career he had bowled so many overs in succession. "When I'm bowling ten-over spells it shows I'm enjoying what I do," he said.

Steyn paid tribute to Lasith Embuldeniya, 22, who battled to 24 off 63 balls to stretch Sri Lanka's total. "He took a couple on the head but he never backed away or had a slog. He gutsed it out."

Kusal Perera, who scored a half-century, said he felt Sri Lanka were still in the game but added: "We have to get them out quickly." The left-handed Perera played some audacious strokes, including a scooped six off Kagiso Rabada.

Asked about his attacking approach, he said: "It's my only game plan. Their bowlers are in the top ranks in the world and if they're attacking I'm trying to counter-attack."