Test star James Pattinson axed from first Test after ‘gay slur’ incident

James Pattinson will miss the first Test against Pakistan after using a ‘homophobic slur’.

The Australian understands Pattinson used a homophobic slur against Cameron Gannon. Picture: Getty

James Pattinson can count himself lucky despite being ruled ineligible for the first Test for Australia against Pakistan in Brisbane this Thursday as he was not guaranteed to play it anyway.

The Victorian quick was found guilty of a level two breach for personal abuse of a player during Victoria’s Sheffield Shield match against Queensland. Under the code, the offence could have been level three, which carries more serious penalties.

The Australian understands Pattinson used a homophobic slur against Cameron Gannon during Victoria’s Sheffield Shield match against Queensland at the MCG last week. The paceman apologised instantly to the Queensland batsman who was a former teammate in the Big Bash League, but was still charged by umpires.

“I made a mistake in the heat of the moment,” Pattinson said. “Straight away I realised I was in the wrong, and I apologised immediately, both to the opponent and to the umpires.

“I have done the wrong thing and accept the penalty. I’m gutted to miss a Test match, but the standards are there for a reason and the fault is mine.”

Cricket Australia would not confirm the details of the incident, which was revealed by The Australian on Sunday.

AUSTRALIA’S TEST S U M M E R

Pattinson was also reprimanded and then fined for two separate incidents in March of a less serious nature. He was reprimanded for equipment abuse on March 14 in a match against NSW and then fined 100 per cent of his match fee when found guilty of dissent a week later in a game against Tasmania.

Sean Carroll, Cricket Australia’s head of integrity and security, said the decision to hand Pattinson two suspension points was the appropriate course of action.

“We have a duty to uphold the highest standards of behaviour and the action taken in this matter demonstrates that,” Carroll said. “On this occasion, James acknowledges he fell short of that expectation.”

Cricket Australia said he was suspended for one match because there had been three incidents within 18 months, but the serious abuse charge can see a player banned even with a clean record.

Under the code of conduct the personal abuse charge is “intended to cover language of a personal, insulting, obscene and/or offensive nature whether directed to any player and/or player support personnel or about another person during a match. It is also intended to cover language of a person, insulting, obscene and/or offensive nature relating to a family member or the player or support personnel at whom it is directed.”

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Captain Tim Paine said the team, which has worked hard to rehabilitate its image after the events in Cape Town, had addressed the issue before the charges became public in The Australian.

“Obviously we’ve had a couple of instances this week but we always revisit them,” he said. “We did again last night, just to brush up on what’s expected and what we expect of the group. Both of those guys apologised last night, they know that they fell a little bit short of what we set ourselves in the Test team. And the fact that it’s important that we maintain that when we go back to state cricket and lead the way there. They’re disappointed with that but we are going to keep on top of it and maintain the level that we’ve set so far in the last couple of years.”

Steve Smith was fined 25 per cent of his match fee for showing dissent last week in the Sheffield Shield but received no further punishment despite the fact he is serving a two-year leadership ban as a result of the Cape Town charges.

Cameron Bancroft, who is in Brisbane as part of the squad, was fined 50 per cent of his match fee when he faced a second charge of equipment abuse in March.

The Australian understands that it was unlikely Pattinson would have played with selectors leaning towards Mitchell Starc to partner Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood in Thursday’s first Test but Ricky Ponting had supported the Victorian’s inclusion.

“I absolutely love everything that Mitchell Starc brings to the table,” Ponting told cricket.com.au. “But at the same time, they’ve been reluctant to play him in the last few series. He only played the one Ashes Test match and he did OK in that game.

“Pattinson’s got a good record in Brisbane as well (he has 29 first-class wickets at 20 at the Gabba compared to 38 at 31 for Starc).

“That’s the other thing that might go in his favour; in a place where the ball does swing a bit, he generally pitches it up and takes it away from the right-handers.

“There was a bit of contradiction going on there during the Ashes. They talked about only playing Starc when they had an allrounder, but then they brought Mitchell Marsh in for the last Test and they still didn’t play Starc.

“So if I was him, I’d be asking what he has to do to stay in or get into the side.”

Pattinson played in the first and third Tests of the Ashes.