Uncapped Dane Paterson replaces injured Philander in South Africa Boxing Day Test squad

He will replace Vernon Philander, who has a fractured finger. South Africa’s pace stocks are further depleted by the absence of Lungi Ngidi, who has an injured knee and is slated to return in February.

Their other pace bowling options in the squad are Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada, and Duanne Olivier, who played the last of his five Tests in 2017 against Bangladesh. Paterson is likely behind those three in the pecking order.

The right-arm seamer has played international cricket before, with three ODI and eight T20I caps under his belt. The closest the 29-year-old has come to playing Test cricket is when he was included in South Africa’s squad as cover against Bangladesh in 2017 but he has extensive first-class experience, with 321 wickets at 23.56 from 93 games to his name.

“We have been looking at him for some time,” said Linda Zondi, Cricket South Africa’s selection convener. “He is a bowler who has performed on the domestic scene consistently for a long time and he will be our back-up for the first Test.”

The first Test between South Africa and Pakistan stars on 26 December at Centurion.