Dane Paterson

A wily medium-pacer and a handy lower-order batsman, Dane Paterson is a South African-born professional cricketer who is known to swing the ball both ways, an attribute deemed particularly suitable to bowling in English conditions. 

Paterson started his cricketing journey playing age-group cricket for the Western Province and made his first senior appearance in March 2009 in a List A fixture against KwaZulu-Natal. Paterson’s first senior appearance for his country came in T20 cricket, as South Africa welcomed Sri Lanka to Cape Town in January 2017. 

The South African seamer signed as an overseas Kolpak player to represent Nottinghamshire across all formats at the start of the 2021 season. His consistency and skills add quality and experience to the Notts squad and his attributes to swing the ball both ways will be widely appreciated in County Cricket.

As the sun rose on the latter half of Dane Paterson’s career, July 2022 marked the beginning of what would become one of his most rewarding chapters—not under the banner of international glory, but in the pastoral, fiercely competitive theatres of English county cricket. Clad in Nottinghamshire green, the South African seamer seemed to rediscover both rhythm and recognition, reminding those watching that experience and craft can often trump speed and flair.

It was in April 2022 that Paterson truly announced his intentions, ripping through Worcestershire with career-best figures of 8 for 52—an exhibition of relentless line-and-length bowling that evoked the great county stalwarts of yesteryear. That performance didn’t just win the game; it set the tone for a season of dominance. Over the summer, Paterson amassed 56 wickets in the County Championship, spearheading Nottinghamshire’s surge to the Division Two title. His consistency, tireless spells, and knack for prising out key wickets made him indispensable. By October that year, the club moved swiftly to secure his services with a two-year contract extension—a clear vote of confidence in a 33-year-old who seemed to be ageing like fine wine.

Yet Paterson wasn’t content merely to be a county hero. In April 2023, he reached a landmark that few fast bowlers, especially those who spend years oscillating between domestic and international cricket, ever achieve: his 500th first-class wicket. The milestone, achieved during a clash with Somerset, was a testament to his stamina, discipline, and deep understanding of his craft. For Paterson, it wasn’t just a number—it was vindication. Vindication of the years spent on the fringes, the cold mornings, the long spells, and the unwavering commitment to doing the basics right.

Then came a twist that even the most optimistic Paterson supporter might not have seen coming. In February 2024, four years after his last Test match, he was recalled to the South African Test squad for the tour of New Zealand. It was a quiet yet powerful statement from the selectors: form and fitness still mattered, even for those past 30. Across two Tests, Paterson claimed five wickets—not headline-grabbing, but sharp, reliable, and reflective of a bowler who knew exactly what he was doing. It was enough to keep him in the frame.

Over the following months, Paterson retained his place in the Test squad. He was part of the group that toured the West Indies and Bangladesh—two vastly different conditions requiring adaptability, patience, and experience. And then came the home series against Sri Lanka, where Paterson finally had his moment under the South African sun. 

In December 2024, at Gqeberha, he produced a spell of subtle mastery, bagging 5 for 71—his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket. It had taken years, detours through county circuits, and more than a few comebacks, but the moment arrived, and it was richly deserved. But he wasn’t done yet.

Later that month, against Pakistan at Centurion, Paterson repeated the feat—5 for 61 this time. It was no longer about proving he could do it. Now, it was about how long he could keep doing it. With 25 wickets in just 7 Tests at an impressive average of 26.24, Paterson’s second wind in international cricket looked more like a full-blown revival.

In February 2025, another door opened. Middlesex, seeking both stability and strike power for the first half of the County Championship season, brought him on board. Paterson’s return to county cricket wasn’t merely about continuing a professional career—it was strategic. With the World Test Championship final approaching, he remained in contention, especially with selectors now valuing his form and temperament in high-pressure red-ball situations. Whether in the rolling hills of Taunton or the pace-friendly strips of Centurion, Paterson had proven one thing: he was not a backup. He was a craftsman, capable of influencing games and mentoring younger bowlers along the way.

(As of May 2025)