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Fast bowler Darren Pattinson, the scapegoat for England’s last defeat in Test cricket, is about to terminate his tumultuous international career by committing to Victoria.
The English-born but Australian-raised paceman, who was pilloried for his shock call-up to the second Test against South Africa last week, said he would be telling England’s chief selector he wanted to play for Victoria next Australian summer.
While a coup for the Vics, that decision would put Pattinson’s chances of winning a recall to the England Test team into major doubt, given Michael Vaughan’s side is scheduled to tour India in November and the West Indies early next year.
Pattinson, who will meet with England’s chairman of selectors Geoff Miller later this week, doubted he would ever add to his Test debut, which yielded two wickets at Headingley but afterwards plenty of scorn following the home side’s 10-wicket defeat.
Pattinson was dropped for the third Test for the fit-again Ryan Sidebottom.
“Honestly? No,” he told Melbourne radio station SEN when asked if he thought he would play another Test for England.
“A big part of it is me wanting to be in Australia for six months and playing for the Bushrangers.
“I’ve got a meeting with the chairman of selectors in a few days to discuss a few things.
“But my family want to live in Melbourne, so that’s a big part of it.”
Pattinson, 29, has a contract with Cricket Victoria, but will be classified as an overseas player from here on given he does not have an Australian passport.
He is expected to return to Melbourne once he has served his contract with county side Nottinghamshire.
Pattinson said he had never expected to play for England when he arrived in the country.
But he was also not ready for some of the criticism levelled at him by former England captains Graham Gooch, Ian Botham, Nasser Hussain and Geoff Boycott, who all slammed his selection.
“I wasn’t expecting that, but I guess that’s the way it is over here,” he said.
Pattinson wasn’t the only England bowler publicly criticised in the past week, as another former skipper, Mike Atherton, took Steve Harmison to task for his recent form and attitude.
“They’re quite critical,” Pattinson mused.
“Once they’re finished and get behind the mic they become different people.
“I think he’s an excellent bowler, especially in English conditions.”
Pattinson’s younger brother James is also contracted to Victoria, but there are no doubts over his country of origin, as he was born in Australia and represented the green and gold at under-19 level earlier this year.
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