Bowling restrictions on Ashes hopeful James Pattinson to be lifted ahead of Shield final
Ashes hopeful James Pattinson is set to have his bowling restrictions lifted but his output will be monitored against South Australia so he’s at peak performance for next week’s Sheffield Shield final.
Ashes hopeful James Pattinson is set to have his bowling restrictions lifted but his output will be monitored against South Australia so he’s at peak performance for next week’s Sheffield Shield final.
The Vics, having already secured hosting rights for the final, will take a five-pronged bowling attack in to the clash with the Redbacks in Adelaide on Wednesday to ensure they are not overworked before next week’s Junction Oval decider.
It’s a move which has squeezed veteran batsman Cameron White out of the squad but chairman of selectors Andrew Lynch was adamant it didn’t signal the end of the 35-year-old’s Victorian career.
White, who has played in more Victorian Shield wins than any other player after making his first class debut as an 17-year-old in 2001, is out of contract at the end of this season but has signalled his desire to play on.
“Whitey has played some terrific innings for us this season and it was important we had an extra bowler in this game and he was the unlucky batsmen. It has nothing to do with his age or the fact he is out of contract,’ Lynch said.
“We’ll sit down after this game and when it comes to select the final we’ll have to decide if we pick six bats, a keeper and four bowlers or go in like this game.
“All we are concerned with at the moment is to play well this game then have everyone fit and available for the final.”
Against NSW last week, in his first Shield game since after suffering a side strain in the Big Bash, Pattinson displayed his awesome best taking 5-25 in the second innings to lead the Vics to a remarkable victory.
Pattinson was on bowling restrictions in the game although they didn’t come in to play as he only had to bowl 23 overs.
Lynch, who coached Pattinson as a teenager, said he wasn’t surprised by the second innings effort from the tyro despite it being after another injury lay-off.
LISTEN! The crew assess Australia’s historic win in India, World Cup selection headaches, the MCC’s radical suggestions for Test cricket and hear from an in-form James Pattinson.
It’s expected the now 28-year-old, who played the last of his 17 Tests in 2016 and is in the frame for Ashes selection this year, will have no restrictions in this match, or the final.
“I’ve seen Patto do a lot of special things, so it didn’t really surprise me. I knew that if he was given an opportunity to get rid of the cobwebs in the first innings, it was a matter of him feeling right,” Lynch said.
“He’s always going to threaten to do that sort of thing because he’s such a high-level performer.
“Once he’s back and bowling he doesn’t want to stop. He’ll need to keep going now. Certainly by the final he won’t be on restrictions.”
Lynch also said quick Andrew Fekete was likely to play SA meaning one of Scott Boland, Peter Siddle or Chris Tremain, who missed the game against NSW, would be rested before the final.
Originally published as Bowling restrictions on Ashes hopeful James Pattinson to be lifted ahead of Shield final
‘Big loss’ could unearth Aussie matchwinners
With so many first-choice players absent from Australia’s Champions Trophy campaign, spin star Adam Zampa is trying to look at the glass half full for those who are there.
Howler costs Indian place in history books
Indian veteran Rohit Sharma will hardly be able to look his teammates in the eyes after an all-time howler against Bangladesh.