Joker in the pack Paterson hoping for one last trick

When Proteas head coach Shukri Conrad announced his squad for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, several of his players waited nervously for the reveal.

“I think the British and Irish Lions touring squad was announced that week, so maybe Shuks was also going for that bit of drama by not giving anyone a call,” Dane Paterson quips.

Paterson is not often short of a chirp, but he had reason to be nervous for this final selection.

An ICC final against Australia ticks the wish list boxes of just about every South African cricketer.

“I was about 10 years old during that 1999 semifinal at the World Cup, and it was the first time that I swore in front of my parents,” he admits.

“To play a final, against Australia, would be a great way to rewrite that script,” he says.

What makes it even more special is that Lord’s has become Paterson’s adopted home, after signing a short-term deal with Middlesex.

So, he had plenty of reasons to be nervous about making the cut.

“Just before the announcement, Kyle Verreynne actually messaged me to ask if I had heard anything. I hadn’t and there was nothing online, so I was nervous. Then Kyle messaged me again to say, relax, the team is out. I was very relieved to be in there,” Paterson admits.

Conrad has often reiterated his policy to reward the players that got the team to the final, and Paterson, the joker in the pack, certainly fits that description.

FIRST TEST WICKET

Now 36, Paterson could have been forgiven for assuming that his international career was over a few years ago.

But, as in cricket, life can sometimes hit the seam and wobble a little – in an unexpected direction.

Ever since he can remember, Paterson’s role has been to hit that seam and pose a question from 22 yards.

His accuracy earned him a reputation as a notable death bowler in white-ball cricket, leading to his initial call-up to the national squad in 2017.

He had to wait a few more summers for his test bow.

“My first test wicket was Ben Stokes in PE,” Paterson starts.

“Most people would say that is a cool stat to have. But he already had 147 by the time I got him. So, my test debut wasn’t that great.”

LIGHTEN THE MOOD

It is in Paterson’s nature to look at the glass as half-full.

In a cricket team, it takes all sorts of characters to ensure that the dressing-room keeps going.

To the delight and infuriation of his teammates, Paterson often finds that humour at the most inopportune times.

“I would probably have to say I am one of the jokers in the team. If you ask Shuks, he will say I am a real nightmare when I am with Dane Piedt! But I have always believed it is important to lighten the mood and remind guys to enjoy the job we do,” he offers.

Paterson and Piedt go back a long way, having been mates at Western Province, and roomies on the road.

That they reunited on the tour to New Zealand in 2024 was a thrill for Paterson, who could share a few more laughs with his partner in crime.

“We have come such a long way. Playing SA 'A' together, carrying drinks on tours… being able to share that dressing-room again with him for South Africa was really special,” Paterson smiles.

A PRIVILEGE

Beneath the chuckles and the chirps, Paterson has a deep pride and sense of duty for what he has been allowed to do over the years on a cricket field.

“Regardless of the sporting code, when you stand out there on a field, or a racetrack or wherever you compete, there is nothing like representing your country. I have to pinch myself sometimes, to remind myself how lucky I am,” he explains.

“Getting my baggy green test cap was such a proud moment, and it is a badge with great pride. It really is a privilege.”

The New Zealand tour call-up might have been seen as a stopgap, but Paterson has kept himself staying in the reckoning beyond that.

“To be honest, I never thought I was going to get this opportunity again at my age, so I was very happy. And I just tried to take it with both hands.”

That he did, as he played a vital role on the road to the final with his nagging accuracy, and chipping in with breakthroughs at key intervals.

He also had the chance to make fresh memories at Dafabet St George’s Park, when Sri Lanka were the visitors in the early part of last summer.

His five for 71 helped keep the tourists in check, as South Africa eventually won a tough test match by 109 runs.

“I was quite emotional after that five-wicket haul, because of my debut there. To get five in a test is special, and no one can take it away from you. So, it was a proud moment for me to be able to do it at that level, and to help the team.”

Now, the once-off test against Australia provides a chance to complete fairytale comeback in national colours.

And, as the resident joker in the Proteas Men’s pack, Paterson will be banking on one final trick to sign off in style.