Dale Steyn joins Kapil Dev, Imran Khan and Dennis Lillee in elite '23 five-wicket Test hauls' club

South African pace bowler Dale Steyn has swapped one elite club for another as he advanced to 23 five-wicket hauls in Test cricket to join the likes of Dennis Lillee, Imran Khan and Kapil Dev.

Steyn put South Africa in the driving seat after day three of England's first Test against Sri Lanka with his latest 'five-for'.

Steyn entered his 73rd Test alongside the illustrious quartet of Waqar Younis, Malcolm Marshall, Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh on 22 such achievements and now he enjoys the company of Australian pace legend Lillee and two all-rounders Khan (Pakistan) and Dev (India), Sport24 reported.

Advancing to 23 hauls has also put Steyn among the top 10 of all-time for that particular bowling landmark, as he and the other three jointly occupy 10th place.

Of the new group the South African paceman is a part of now, only Lillee got there in fewer bowling innings; 128 to Steyn's 137.

Steyn, who recently turned 31, is the only still-active Test player who can take his tally further and next in his sights would be England icon of the very early 20th century Sydney Barnes, who alone is on 24 five-wickets haul, the report added.