Modest Rabada credits team mates for seven-star performance

PRETORIA (Reuters) - South African speedster Kagiso Rabada rattled England with a career-best seven wickets to put his side in a commanding position, but insists he was not the best bowler on day three of the final test. Rabada, 20, is quickly making a name for himself in his country, for the quality of his performances and for what he represents as a young black cricketer. His 7-112 in England’s first innings at Centurion Park was a show of skill, maturity and endurance as he completed 29 overs and tore through the tourists’ in-form middle order. But the modest Rabada feels the stage was set for him by fellow seamers Kyle Abbott and Morne Morkel, who strangled the run-rate and created pressure at the other end. “I thought Abbott and Morkel bowled better than I did,” Rabada told reporters. “They bowled magnificently well to help me ... they were controlling the run rate. “I wasn’t expecting get a seven-for, it just came. I’m just looking to do the basics right and whatever else comes ... it comes.” A hamstring injury to Abbott late in the England innings meant Rabada kept the ball longer than he might have, but he says he is not worried about the excessive work load. “My action is feeling good now, it’s very smooth, so it felt like I wasn’t forcing anything," he said. "I think I’m at my best when I am bowling a lot. “I tried to take it ball-by-ball and hit good areas and if you do that things happen.” South Africa have a commanding 175-run lead with nine second-inning wickets remaining on a pitch that will make it difficult to chase much more than 280 on the final day. “It’s a very good position for us and from what I hear it’s not going to be easy batting last on this wicket. We have the batters to build the lead,” a confident Rabada said. “The wicket is a little bit up and down, if you get the ball in the right area you can be successful. If you bowl fuller you can get your reward.” England hold an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series. (Reporting By Nick Said. Editing by Rob Hodgetts)