Steyn brands rift with Clarke 'a bit silly'

South Africa pace express Dale Steyn has played down his rift with Australia captain Michael Clarke on Tuesday, saying that their supposed feud had been a bit silly.

Clarke has been ruled out of the last three matches of the ODI series against South Africa by a hamstring injury and Steyn said that he wished the Australian a swift recovery.

The row started in March when Clarke sledged Steyn when the South African and teammate Vernon Philander were batting to try, ultimately unsuccessfully, to save both the Cape Town Test and the series, Sport24 reported.

Clarke, who was fined for threatening England paceman James Anderson with a broken arm during the Brisbane Ashes Test at the end of last year, apologised in Cape Town for the sledge.

After a triangular series in Zimbabwe later in the year, however, Steyn said that he would not forgive the personal slight until Clarke shook him by the hand and apologised, comments which the South African claimed had been blown out of all proportion.

Steyn said that maybe he just said too much in Zimbabwe, adding that the issue with Clarke got blown out completely, it was like two schoolgirls the way the media got hold of it.

Although Steyn said that he believed there was a line in sledging that should not be crossed, he was happy to put the disagreement with Clarke behind him.

Steyn said that he didn't want it to start a massive thing, adding that it did, it doesn't matter. He admitted that the Australian is not playing now, adding that he's obviously injured and hoped for Clarke to gets well.

With the one-day series nicely poised at 1-1 after the first two matches in Perth, the tourists face Australia in the third match at Manuka Oval on Wednesday, the report added.