Ex-Aussie Test cricketer James Pattinson goes from bowling to building

Former fast bowler James Pattinson picked up the tools after he retired from cricket in late-2021 and has built a plethora of properties. And he has even more in store.

James Pattinson of the Melbourne Renegades bowls during the Men's Big Bash League match at Marvel Stadium. Picture: Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)

Ex-Australian Test cricketer James Pattinson jumped into the property world after retiring from cricket, becoming closely involved with the renovation of his former Elwood family home.

The fast bowler and his wife, Kayla, offloaded their four-bedroom residence at 65 Ruskin St in May this year.

Building has become a passion for Pattinson, and with his wife completing her architectural design course, they have been working together.

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Pattinson said that the pair had worked to maintain their former Elwood home’s Edwardian character, showcasing red bricks throughout, while adding a modern twist.

“I think just being involved in all the intricate details (of a home), it is good to be able to be there and it’s quite rewarding for me, it’s good to get your hands dirty,” he said.

Now, he’s listed two townhouses in Mordialloc that he built and is looking to build a holiday home on his family’s Mansfield acreage.

Pattinson retired from international cricket towards the end of 2021.

Pattinson renovated and sold 65 Ruskin St, Elwood in May for $3.47m.

Still relatively new to the industry, Pattinson said the hardest thing was managing trades, but his professional cricket past helped with that.

“Coming from a sporting background, you sort of have to incorporate all that stuff,” he said.

“For me, it was managing my body and speaking to all the physios and coaches, which sometimes had its challenges.

“The end part is probably the most rewarding when you can sit back and look at what you’ve done, it’s amazing what humans can do, I suppose, in terms of building houses.”

Pattinson said it could sometimes be challenging to think ahead to a build’s finished product, from start to end.

“It’s the difference between things fitting perfectly and having to cut things back, there’s definitely an art and a science to building, it’s great,” he said.

This three-bedroom townhouse at 45a McKay St, Mordialloc is listed and was built by Pattinson.

This four-bedroom townhouse at 156B Chute St, Mordialloc is also listed and was built by Pattinson.

He added that the job’s physicality was similar to playing cricket as well.

“There’s some long days out in the field and sometimes you don’t get rewarded for it straight away,” he said.

“Same with building, I’ve had some days where things haven’t gone right and you’re slogging away until late at night.

“Test cricket, it’s over five days, and we’ve got one job that’s been going for 18 months and it’s the same thing, it’s a bit of a grind.”

But Pattinson said he’d been blessed by having a sporting background which paid him reasonably well that he’s been able to invest in property.

“It’s something that I’ve got a lot of gratitude for, it’s nice to be able to get stuck into something else after cricket and have a direction,” he said.

James pattinson pictured with Pat Cummins during the Swans preliminary final win over Port Adelaide in 2024.

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Originally published as Ex-Aussie Test cricketer James Pattinson goes from bowling to building