Australian fast bowler James Pattinson is increasingly looking like a lost cause. The 26-year-old quick has broken down once more, suffering a recurrence of back stress fractures which has seen him ruled out of cricket indefinitely.
Australian fans have high hopes for Pattinson, but this latest setback suggests we may never get to see him become the dominant Test bowler he promised to be.
Since barrelling on to the Test scene as a 21-year-old with a remarkable ability to bend the ball at up to 154km/h, Pattinson has been beset by injuries.
In the four-and-a-half years since he snared 6-91 on debut against New Zealand, he has managed to play just 17 Tests.
Pattinson’s list of injuries is long and varied – hamstring problems, foot fractures, side strains, shin complaints and, above all, a dodgy back. It was stress fractures in his back which first saw him sidelined from international cricket for a lengthy stint during the 2013 Ashes in England.
Heading into that Ashes, Pattinson was the most imposing young bowler in Test cricket, having taken 40 wickets at an average of 23 from his first ten matches. During Australia’s disastrous 4-0 series loss in India just months before, he had been easily the best pacemen from either side, regularly harrying the Indian batsmen with his searing speed.
After his body fell apart in England, he was out of the Test team for eight months. Pattinson made his return in the third Test against South Africa in March 2014, and helped Australia secure a rousing series win. But it came at a hefty price, as he hurt his back once again.
Another comeback in the 2014-15 summer was carefully managed by Victoria and his Big Bash League franchise the Melbourne Renegades. Yet in the space of three Sheffield Shield matches, during which his workload was lower than usual, he managed to break down twice.
So he went away and adopted a remodeled action, designed to reduce the stress on his back. Injuries to other quicks then paved the way for Pattinson’s return last summer and he had an immediate impact.
Across four Tests against the West Indies and New Zealand he snared 19 wickets at 23, with his strike rate of 38 underlining his rare level of penetration. Then his body betrayed him yet again this March. A shin complaint sent him back into rehab mode, only for doctors to later discover a recurrence of a stress fracture in his back.
Pattinson admitted that in the Tests against the West Indies he had reverted to his old action, in a desperate attempt to regain pace and control. It seems that gamble backfired and now he is out of the game “indefinitely”, as stated on the Cricket Australia website.
“James will continue to spend the winter recovering from this injury, at which point we hope to have a clearer view of timelines for his return to play,” Cricket Australia physiotherapist David Beakley said.
Earlier this year I nominated Pattinson as one of my three cricketers to watch in Tests in 2016. Unfortunately, it looks like it will be 2017, at best, before we again see him in the baggy green.
However, there is now genuine cause for concern that he may never get his body right to play regular first-class cricket.
Many express pacemen suffer injury problems in their teens and early 20s, particularly stress fractures of the back. The ones who go on to have long first-class careers typically overcome those issues by the age of 24 or 25, by which time their bodies have fully matured.
Pattinson looks likely to be pushing 27 years old when he makes his next comeback. Australian fans will be hoping his chassis finally holds up its end of the bargain and allows him to belatedly exploit his generous gifts.
craig
Guest
doesn't Lillee's bad back disprove this theory?
Andy
Guest
I also wouldnt be surprised if he hadnt immediately spoken up about any pain or at least down played it. He may have just been sick and tired of being sick and thought he could play thru and at least play some international cricket.
Andy
Guest
Which is weird because the obsession with speed came about from guys who would have spent alot of time with mcgrath. Yet they still want guys who can bowl like brett lee used to until he got smart.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Definitely. Fast bowling is tough on the body and most fast bowlers will say that they rarely bowl without some pain and discomfort. The real kicker is when that pain doesn't go away but rather just gets worse and stops you from being able to bowl to your full extent. I actually think the last part of that sentence is the critical one. If the pain doesn't stop you bowling then bowl through it and hope that actually strengthens the body more. I think there can be too much cotton-woolling of our fast bowlers which stops them from being able to build the required strength to stay healthy.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Pattinson's case really reminds me of Shane Bond for NZ. He was a phenomenal bowler, but was so rarely able to be healthy and on the park and finished with only 18 tests and just 60 first class matches in his career.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
If you get injured at work your employers can't just cut their losses and release you even if you can't work for years. But those sorts of costs to the business are generally covered by insurance. Probably the same here, Pat's CA contract may well pretty much be covered by CA's insurance so they can just keep him on the list even when not playing. Of course, if it was as simple as that there'd probably be some other players, like Pattinson, who would be in the same situation.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
Two words. Ryan Harris.
SP
Guest
Seem to recall that Bruce Reid was often injured.
matthew_gently
Guest
I reckon you're on to something there. Makes a lot of sense.
Lancey5times
Guest
It's a dig at CA not Cummins gents. I'm sure he is doing everything he can to get his body right but giving him a contract every year isn't warranted until he gets on the park. Particularly when a guy like Khawaja was playing for Australia without being a contracted player. My error was the word 'intention'. I get that but it got past editing time :)
Nudge
Guest
Fair call
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
The only thing I can think Nudge is that almost every Test fast bowler experience back soreness of some level during a match or series and that Pattinson probably does every single FC match he plays given his history. So the pain he felt in NZ maybe he didn't think it was different to regular, normal back soreness and paid no heed to it initially. When it stuck around he got the scans done and the stress fractures were revealed. If Patto went for scans every time his back felt sore after bowling he'd probably be better off just moving all his belongings into the hospital.
Nudge
Guest
What I can't understand was that Pattinson first felt some pain in his back during the New Zealand tour. I think I read somewhere that they thought they'd leave it, but when it was still sore a few weeks back they scanned it which showed a stress fracture. Why couldn't they gave scanned it 3 months ago, which would have saved him 3 months? Siddle is back running now, Patto could have been doing the same. Instead he's basically out till November which virtually rules him out for the whole Australian summer.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Nah I think one Starc is enough, as the real strike bowler. The other can stick to his high jumping - he's pretty damn handy at that (going to Rio to catch the Zika virus). I did mean Lyon. I don't agree on their bodies - Cummins will be fine for a long time, and hopefully Patto soon too.
Paul Potter
Roar Guru
Fully agree. A really childish cheap shot.
Chui
Guest
Well done Lancey. You certainly don't need a long neck....................
steve
Guest
Still Starc, Hazlewood, Pattinson, Lyon and Marsh all come of age, for which Lyon already has, every captain would kill to have an attack of such variety and ability.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Pattinson would need to work hard at developing some variety though, to become a top-line 20/20 bowler. Tait never really developed it and routinely got slogged out of the attack. And he's quicker than Pattinson. If Pattinson was a west indian he'd long since have buggered off out of the whites and be on the 20/20 circuit. I would like to think if Pattinson admitted his body couldn't handle test cricket and retired from it you wouldn't get the carping from the "traditionalist" brigade, given the amount of injuries and rehab he'd been through. But they will. They always do.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Having two Starcs bowling from both ends would be fantastic, I agree. I can't get behind this line of argument though. We've never been able to field all of them in the same lineup, and I'm not sure Pattinson and Cummins will ever be long-term test bowling prospects. Need to stop talking about the potential, the reality is 2 of them are crocked with bodies that keep breaking down, Starc should be able to come back, and only Hazelwood seems to be a long-term test bowling option. It's delusional to say it's our best attack ever when we can't even get them on the park.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Patto will now go through a long rehab and fitness stint. He will be strong when that is over. If his body holds up, let's all hope he is quickly back to his best. Patto, Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins and Starc - one of the best attacks we've ever had, and backed up by a very good bowler for a batting all rounder, who bowls at mid-high 130s, on the spot, with bounce and movement.