Steyn-Clarke feud takes new twist

Dale Steyn said he would not forgive Michael Clarke for their on-field verbal stoush during the Cape Town Test until the Australia skipper shook his hand and apologised to him personally, yet previously unaired footage from cricket.com.au's archive showed this has already happened.

In the wake of South Africa's tri-series victory against Australia last Saturday in Zimbabwe, Steyn revealed a heated exchange between the pair six months earlier in Cape Town was still a raw wound.

The pair had exchanged barbs and gesticulations late on the fifth day of a fractious and tense Cape Town Test, with Steyn last week saying Clarke's comments were "personal" and he was still waiting for an apology.

Quick Single: Steyn still bitter about Cape Town stoush

The Australia skipper did make a personal apology after the match however, as previously unreleased footage filmed by cricket.com.au shows.

As the teams shook hands following Australia's series-clinching victory in the late afternoon Cape Town sun, Clarke stopped for an extended chat with Steyn and was overhead to say "sorry" directly to the Proteas' paceman.

Clarke's handshake was enthusiastic, accompanied by an apologetic smile and shake of the head. Australia's captain did most of the talking in the exchange as he gripped Steyn's hand, his left arm around the bowler's shoulder.

Steyn's reply drew a smile from vice-captain Brad Haddin, who was waiting in line behind Clarke. With a nod of his head and a pat on Clarke's shoulder, Steyn also appears to accept Clarke's sentiment before the pair part and the line-up moves forward again.

The footage could embarrass the South African, raising the question did Steyn simply forget this exchange following a bitter Test defeat for the Proteas, or are other motives at play.

Steyn certainly seemed to have no recollection of Clarke's apology when he was asked after Saturday's tri-series final if he had spoken to and forgiven Clarke since their Cape Town altercation.

"I haven't really spoken to him much since then, to be honest with you," Steyn said, after a pause.

"I don't take many things personally, but what he did say to me I did take personally.

"I know he apologised in the media, and I should be playing this down but, the day he comes and shakes my hand and says 'I really mean what I said' and behaves like the way he should, maybe then I will (forgive him).

"But for right now, he's not here, so I'll wait until I get to Australia."

Steyn could be in for a ferocious reception from the terraces when he does get to Australia for South Africa's limited-overs series here in November, but with Clarke in Harare for the majority of the tri-series until leaving with a recurrence of a hamstring injury, Steyn must not have opted to confront him.

"From my perspective I would hope that Dale and I have a good enough relationship," Clarke said in Harare.

"I'm pretty sure he would front me if he still had an issue with me and I think my apology at the time was well taken and respected from Dale."

The source of the initial resentment came when tempers flared that March day in Cape Town as Proteas batsman Vernon Philander's dismissal was overturned by the third umpire, when his right batting glove was judged to be off the bat as a Mitchell Johnson bouncer brushed it on its way to being caught at bat-pad.

What Steyn and Clarke said to each other on the field in the heat of battle remains known only to the players and umpires, neither of whom saw fit to report any player for a breach of the ICC's code of conduct.

However, sources from within the Australian playing group have confirmed to cricket.com.au the exchange was not "personal", although the unbecoming scenes did prompt Clarke to apologise publicly after play.

"I apologise to the opposition player I was out of line to," Clarke said in Cape Town.

"A player who I have the utmost respect for, who tries to kill me every time I bat – who batted exceptionally well.

"Let's just say he got me at a bad time (following Philander's review)."