There’s a general consensus that to make a mistake once is human, but to make the same mistake twice is foolish.
I’d like to add a third part to that sentence. Make the same mistake three times and you’re putting your Test selection in jeopardy.
James Pattinson has cost himself three wickets in as many Tests by bowling a no-ball.
When Carlos Brathwaite was twice given a reprieve at the MCG it was unfortunate, but given Australia still cruised to victory over a weak West Indies side, it wasn’t particularly calamitous.
AUSTRALIA VS NEW ZEALAND LIVE SCORES
The same cannot be said of Pattinson’s latest front-foot mishap.
Never mind that Mitchell Marsh was denied a screamer of a catch. What was far more telling was that Brendon McCullum took full advantage of his luck, scoring another 106 runs and notching the fastest century in Test match history.
Instead of having New Zealand at 5 for 80, Australia had to wait until the score was at 253 before finally dislodging the Black Caps’ skipper.
Given that Pattinson, along with every other fast bowler today, meticulously measures out his run-up to ensure he gets as close to the crease as possible, it begs the question – does he need to be so close to the crease to be an effective bowler?
Hypothetically, let’s assume the answer to that is yes, and that Pattinson is incapable of taking a wicket with his front foot behind the line. If so, he doesn’t deserve a place in the team.
Of course, such a hypothetical conclusion is nonsense. His 64 Test wickets at an average of 26 says that Pattinson is, in fact, quite capable of taking a wicket with a legitimate delivery.
So why not take his run-up back two inches? Nathan Lyon came out yesterday and said that, with a full crowd and the adrenaline pumping, it can be difficult to get your front foot behind the line. But surely the professional bowler or the army of coaches are capable of finding a way to do just that.
Hopefully it doesn’t take another blistering century for them to figure it out.
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