James Pattinson’s long road back from ‘risky’ back surgery

James Pattinson couldn’t walk. Even getting out of his bed at a Christchurch hospital seemed impossible, let alone bowling at 150km/h ever again.

James Pattinson couldn’t walk.

Even getting out of his bed in a Christchurch hospital seemed impossible, let alone bowling at 150km/h ever again.

Pattinson had just taken the biggest risk of his career in ­November last year, undergoing risky spinal surgery.

The advice was mixed.

Doctors were confident they could fix his constantly failing back while some of his closest confidantes warned him not to take the risk.

But Pattinson has never been one to stand back.

He walks the line. Always has and always will.

A Test career which started with a five-wicket haul at the Gabba on debut in 2011 is only 17 matches old seven years later. Pattinson had unfinished business in world cricket and took the plunge.

James Pattinson will play Big Bash this season following surgery.

“Requiring that surgery was a bit of an unknown,” Pattinson told The Sunday Mail.

“I got all these opinions and was umming and ahhing.

“There was different feedback about whether it would work or whether I was a good candidate.

“I was wondering if it was the right thing or not.

“A lot of things go through your head about whether you’d come back and play cricket or you’ve played your last game.”

Instead of having traditional surgery to fuse vertebrae, Pattinson underwent an alternative technique in New Zealand.

He was told he would be able to fly home two days after the operation.

When he awoke, he realised that wouldn’t be the case.

“It was a two-hour procedure and the surgeons made me feel pretty confident,” Pattinson said.

“They said it was a small surgery but when I got up it didn’t feel like that.

“I had the operation on a Tuesday and they said I could fly out on the Thursday but I couldn’t get out of bed. I had a few more nights in hospital then was in a hotel for a week.

“I was starting again and training my body to walk again. I started slowly walking around for 10 minutes, then 12 minutes. Every time I stepped things up my back would react in a way that it didn’t like.

“I’d take two steps forward then one back. It wouldn’t feel right.”

Pattinson’s mind was flooded with emotions.

Now 28, he wondered whether he would ever play cricket again, let alone achieve his dream of featuring in next year’s Ashes in England alongside fellow quicks Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.

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He took 70 wickets in 17 Tests at an excellent average of 26.15 before being dragged down by numerous injuries. His last Test appearance was in February, 2016.

“I had the surgery and couldn’t do much for 10 weeks apart from lie there and let it heal,” he said.

“After playing your first first-class game at 18, that’s 10 years of your life dedicated to cricket. You don’t really know much else. I got away from cricket.

“It was about getting away from that so I could come back refreshed. It felt like I was away from the game for a long time. I didn’t go to many games or watch much cricket.

“It was a bit like starting again. It’s a bit of a refreshed start. Coming to Brisbane is something to look forward to. I feel like I’m getting my first contract again.”

Brisbane Heat signing James Pattinson. Picture: Peter Wallis

Pattinson will don the teal of the Brisbane Heat in this summer’s Big Bash League, another step in his quest to play for Australia again.

He emerged from four Sheffield Shield matches for Victoria with his body intact and bowling on track, much to the delight of nervous Heat coach Dan Vettori.

“We’ve been crossing our fingers he got through,” Vettori said.

“He’s had a high workload and speaking to him he is starting to feel more and more confident with his body.

“We got him here because we think he can be a game changer.

“He hasn’t played a heap of T20 cricket, but if you look at the last few years of his cricket he has started to mature as an allrounder. Let’s hope his bowling and body stays where it’s always been because it’s a pretty special package.

“When you add the batting to it he can be one of those world class allrounders.”

Heat fans will get their first glimpse of Pattinson in Wednesday’s opener against the Adelaide Strikers at the Gabba.

He wants to make a mark on the BBL08 after missing last summer’s entire tournament, when he was contracted to the Melbourne Renegades, following his back operation.

Pattinson has returned a more resilient character in his second coming as a cricketer.

He knows how fragile his career is and wants to make the most of this opportunity.

“As a cricketer you want to try and build resilience,” ­Pattinson said.

“One thing I’ve found out from going through what I have is to always try and keep a positive frame of mind and keep that resilience up.

“I always thought if I could get it right, I’m still fairly young in cricket terms, hopefully I’m still young enough to have a really good career. So far it’s been pretty good, but it’s been a challenge. Now we’re really starting to see a good outcome and fingers crossed we can keep going.”

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Originally published as James Pattinson’s long road back from ‘risky’ back surgery