CAPE TOWN – Dane Paterson hopes his call-up to the Proteas squad for the first two one-day internationals against Pakistan will ultimately lead to a ticket to the World Cup in England and Wales later this year.
Paterson has been in form this season - albeit in red-ball cricket where he is the second leading wicket-taker in the Four-Day Franchise Series - and is eager to make an impression over the coming weeks.
The 29-year-old has been on the fringes of national selection for the past couple of seasons, playing three ODIs and eight T20 internationals since his ODI debut against Bangladesh in 2017.
Although yet to cement a place in the Proteas starting XI, particularly with the abundance of quality pacemen in South Africa at the moment, Paterson’s standout performance was in 2017 when he claimed a career-best 4/32 at Cardiff against England in a T20.
“I’m really happy to have got the call-up,” Paterson said at a Cape Cobras training session yesterday morning. “It’s a World Cup year, and everyone wants to play in a World Cup.
“So, to get the call at such a crucial time of the season means the selectors are still looking at me. And hopefully if I get an opportunity, I can put in a performance that (will give) everyone something to think about. Look at ‘Doozle’ (Duanne Olivier), he has come into the Test side and really taken his chance, so anything can happen once you get a chance. Like, I said every player wants to play in a World Cup.”
Dane Paterson has been on the fringes of national selection for the past couple of seasons. Photo: Shaun Roy/BackpagePix
The trialling of Paterson is due to Lungi Ngidi continuing his rehabilitation process after suffering a knee injury in Australia last year. Paterson also covered for Ngidi over the course of the first two Test matches against Pakistan, and although he never got a run, spending time with the Proteas was highly beneficial.
“It is always good being in that environment, particularly being with Ottis (Gibson). He is really good with the fast bowlers and he immediately picked up a couple of bad habits that has crept into my game,” Paterson said.
“So, having the opportunity to work with Ottis again is exciting. It is the small things that he picks that really helps a fast bowler.”
Along with Ngidi, SA are still waiting for JP Duminy to return from injury. Duminy attended his first Cobras fitness session yesterday after having undergone a shoulder operation last year. Duminy, though, still faces a period on the sidelines before he will be ready for international duty.
This allows in-form Highveld Lions batsman Rassie van der Dussen to receive his maiden ODI call-up after Aiden Markram was left out for the first two matches of the series against Pakistan. Van der Dussen struck a half-century on his T20 debut against Zimbabwe last year, and was the leading run-scorer in the Mzansi Super League for the Jozi Stars.
“We need to look at all the options available to us as we get closer to selecting our final squad for this year’s World Cup,” convenor of selectors Linda Zondi said. “Rassie and Dane are two players who have been knocking strongly on the door in all formats.”
The South Africa ODI squad is:
Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Imran Tahir, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Dane Paterson, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Rassie van der Dussen.