While he spent the following year still as a part of the Second XI, it was his consistent performances this season which brought him up to the first-team squad, for whom he made his debut first-class appearance in 1964, playing a single University Match prior to his first appearance in the County Championship a month later.
Steward batted well from the Essex lower order, frequently scoring in double-figures with tenacious partnership-building from more experienced members of the team, and making nine County Championship appearances before the season came to a close.
Steward's second and final season of first-class cricket in England came the following year, but Essex underperformed, finishing third-bottom in the 1965 County Championship table.
Steward made a return to cricket during the 1967–68 season, playing three games for Natal B in the Currie Cup.
Nearly a decade later, he made two further appearances for South African Country Districts in miscellaneous matches.