"Thanks for all the negative comments about my selection" - Dane Paterson hits back at critics after claiming seven wickets in SA vs SL 2024 2nd Test

Veteran South African pacer Dane Paterson couldn't help but take a dig at his critics for questioning his selection for the second Test against Sri Lanka in Gqeberha. The 35-year-old posted a picture of his Player of the Match award on X (formerly Twitter) and especially called out a journalist's account for criticising him.

The right-arm seamer, who has toiled in the domestic circuit for several years, had played only five Tests until the game in Gqeberha after debuting in January 2020. Paterson replaced the injured Gerald Coetzee for the second and final Test against Sri Lanka.

He took a fifer in the first innings, followed by a couple more in the second as the Proteas won by 109 runs. Hence, he wrote on X:

"Hi to all the haters that doubted my selection. This one is for you. Thanks for all the negative comments about my selection. At the end of the day it’s not about you. It’s about the team. @PoppingCreaseSA please relook at my first class stats before having a GO at me. Cheers."

While the account of @PoppingCreaseSA lauded Paterson on his fifer, it stated that the age issue is an impediment.

"I love bowling and coming at the batters everytime" - Dane Paterson

At the post-match presentation, the Cape Town-born cricketer said he feels surreal to get the rewards of a long spell and see them win. He explained:

"It's a good feeling, put in the work and get rewarded by bowling long spells. Happy to have won the game, thrilled to win a match that finished on Day 5.

"We play this game because we love it, I love bowling and coming at the batters everytime, it's just a surreal feeling. It's all sinking in, I didn't notice that I took 3 wickets in an over, everything was happening quickly, but it's a win for the team and we keep marching on."

With the win, the Proteas are at the top of the World Test Championship (WTC) and took another step closer to the final. South Africa have two more Tests left in this cycle as they will next face Pakistan.