South African paceman Dale Steyn eyes Hampshire stint in comeback bid

File photo of South Africa's veteran fast bowler Dale Steyn (Reuters)

Johannesburg: South African fast bowler Dale Steyn revealed on Sunday that he is targeting a stint with English county Hampshire in June as his comeback to competitive cricket.

Steyn, 34, has seldom played in the past two years because of injuries. But he told SuperSport television on Sunday that he was close to full fitness after missing the series against Australia following his latest setback, a heel injury suffered in the first Test against India in January.

"I could get through 12 or 15 overs but that's not enough to be competitive in a Test match," he said.

Steyn is just two short of Shaun Pollock's South African Test record of 421 wickets.

He is likely to have another chance to break the record when South Africa tour Sri Lanka in July and August. "The Proteas don't play for quite a while," said Steyn.

"I'm going to take another month off. I'm not going to the IPL (Indian Premier League). I'm looking to go over to Hampshire in June to play a little bit of cricket, then Sri Lanka in July."