South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn is hopeful of being fit in time to feature in the second Test match against England starting in Durban on Boxing Day.

The 26-year-old paceman missed the opening Test at Centurion due to a hamstring problem and his recovery is taking longer than Steyn had hoped.

He told Cricinfo: "I think we will make an early decision this time on whether I will play, rather than wait until the morning of the game.

"I'm hopeful. I was very keen to play in Pretoria and having a few more days off has given me extra time to get it right, so I don't see any reason why I shouldn't be ready for Boxing Day.

"I just want to make sure it's 100 per cent because we have a lot of cricket to play, not just against England, but also a tour to India and hamstrings can be quite a difficult area to sort out.

"Just when you think you've got it right, it hits you again and slows you down.

"The hamstring was about 50-50 and we didn't really know whether I would make it through a long spell of bowling.

"The safe thing was to pull out rather than find I wouldn't be able to play the second and third Tests and maybe even the fourth."