Thirty-something cricketers Dane Paterson and George Linde were the unlikely headline-makers this past week for the Proteas.
The Western Province duo won Player-of-the-Match awards in their respective outings for the Proteas. Paterson shone in the Proteas' win in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Gqeberha, while Linde - a day later - won the award for a brilliant all-round performance in a T20 match against Pakistan in Durban.
Paterson got back into the Proteas fold at the start of the year for the Test tour to New Zealand, when coach Shukri Conrad had to pick a virtual "C-team" because all of the top players were involved in the SA20 League at home.
The matches in New Zealand were Paterson's first outings for the Proteas since January 2020, but he has since been in the squad as a back-up bowler because of all the injuries to the South Africans' fast-bowling stocks.
Paterson, however, got his big chance against Sri Lanka at St. George's Park after an injury to Gerald Coetzee. There was some sections of the Proteas fan base who wanted the young Kwena Maphaka to make his debut instead of reverting back to the 35-year-old Paterson.
However, seamer picked up his first five-wicket haul with a top bowling performance in the first innings in the Bay, while ending with match figures of 7/104.
Paterson then hit out at his critics on X, saying "this one is for you".
"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."
Paterson was made for that St. George's Park, with his ability to nip the ball off the seam a massive factor. He also has the ability to bowl long spells, which was needed on a pitch that offered a lot more assistance with the new ball than the old one.
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🍺 pic.twitter.com/bsQSoTHGhj
"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."
Meanwhile the 33-year-old Linde got his chance after three years in the wilderness because there was a Test match going on the day before the Proteas were supposed to meet Pakistan.
Linde had last played for the Proteas in 2021, but came out firing with an innings of 48 off 24 balls with the bat and figures of 4/21 with the ball in the 11-run victory at Kingsmead in Durban.
After a loss of form, Linde said he stepped away from the game to refresh his mind. Now he feels like he belongs again.
“I’ve been through a tough time, but the last year has been really good. I feel I deserve this opportunity, I think it came at the right time,” he said.
“I struggled for a year or two, it was one of those things. Luckily I had a long break away from cricket in the winter, just to get away from the game and I think that helped me a lot.
“It brought that fire back. I always hoped I’d come back to the Proteas, but if it wasn’t the case then so be it. But I gave myself the best shot, through training, gym work, everything.”
Paterson and Linde's performances just goes to to show that "age ain't nothing but a number".
@JohnGoliath82