United Cricket Club seamer Dane Paterson has expressed “a mixture of joy and nervousness”, after being added to South Africa’s squad for the second and final Test against Bangladesh.
Paterson has replaced the injured Morne Morkel – and might gain selection for the playing XI ahead of Cape Cobras team-mate Wayne Parnell.
“I was shocked when I phoned my girlfriend, Nicole Williams, to tell her I was called up to the Test squad. I have mixed feelings and I felt a bit afraid,” said Paterson.
The 28-year-old right-armer played four Twenty20 Internationals earlier this year – and was hired by the Bloem City Blazers for R1.8 million prior to November’s inaugural T20 Global League. He has taken six wickets in the Cobras’ opening two matches of the 2017-18 Sunfoil Series.
“The fact that I have represented South Africa before and that I represented South Africa A, which gave me access to the first-class arena, has been to my benefit,” he added.
United Cricket Club’s WPCA first division A campaign will get underway against Avendale Cricket Club on 21 and 28 October – and will be followed by a challenging fixture against newcomers Kraaifontein Cricket Club on 4 and 11 November.
They recently named the talented Mujahid Behardien as captain. Behardien has succeeded the outgoing Muneer Alexander, as United Cricket Club target improvement on a fourth-place finish in 2016-17, after four victories in nine attempts. They had been relegated from premier league at the end of the 2015-16 season.
Meanwhile, former Montrose Cricket Club and Ottoman Cricket Club batsman Qaasim Adams has returned to United Cricket Club.
Adams, who has played franchise cricket for the Titans, Warriors, Lions and Cape Cobras, was contracted by the latter earlier this year – and will rejoin the club he played for as a teenager.