Quick James Pattinson retires from Test cricket ahead of Ashes

A brilliant bowler whose career was blighted by injury, James Pattinson has told selectors he is not available for Ashes selection

James Pattinson played 21 Tests for Australia in 10 years Picture: Getty Images

James Pattinson has retired from Test cricket leaving Australia short of one its key bowling options ahead of the Ashes.

The 31-year-old has been in the mix with Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood for a number of seasons, usually coming into the side when one is rested or injured, but was picked ahead of Starc for the first Test in the 2019 Ashes.

He is struggling with a knee injury on the eve of the Test summer and lost motivation to get himself up for another campaign – although people close to the bowler are hopeful that a change of fortune at Shield level may lead to a change of heart.

Catch all the ICC T20 World Cup action live & exclusive to Fox Cricket, available on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today.

“Leading into pre-season I really wanted to give the Ashes a crack but in the end I haven’t had the preparation I would have liked heading into the coming season,” said Pattinson in a statement released by Cricket Australia.

“If I was to be part of the Ashes I would need to do myself and my team-mates justice.

I didn’t want to be in a position of battling with my body when you need to be 100 per cent fit and ready to go at any time. That would not be fair to myself or the team.”

“It was then I felt that instead of trying to play at the very highest level, knowing I have only got three or four years of cricket left, I would focus more on Victoria, helping the young guys develop, perhaps some cricket in England and spending more time with my family.”

With Pattinson telling selectors he is unavailable Michael Neser, Shaun Abbott and Mark Steketee shape up as other likely inclusions in the Ashes squad.

One of the country’s best quicks for the past decade, stress fractures and the emergence of the NSW trio has limited the Pattinson’s in the Australian team.

He took 20 wickets at an average of 15 in series against New Zealand and India in his first summer.

Injuries early in his career saw him play just 17 Tests in the first five years of his career and he leaves the Australian side with 81 wickets at an average of 26 from 21 games. He also appeared in 15 ODIs and four T20I.

Pattinson has over 300 first class wickets and should add to that tally.

At his best he was a tear away quick with an intimidating presence.

Pattinson was expected to play in the second half of the Border Gavaskar trophy in 2020-21 but injured himself while mowing the lawn at home.

A match ban for abuse saw him left out of the first Test which he was expected to play in 2019-20, but he returned to play against New Zealand in the MCG and SCG Tests.

Pattinson made his ODI debut in Bangladesh in 2011 and signalled his talent with a five wicket haul on Test debut against New Zealand.

Repeat fractures of the lower back saw him seek radical surgery in New Zealand in an attempt to extend his career.

The painful surgery was never guaranteed success and involved painful rehab but the allowed Pattinson a chance in the 2019 Ashes.

“The big thing on getting the operation was I probably could have not had the operation and maybe settled to play the shorter format of the game. But being 27 and having a pretty good Test record and doing quite well, that’s the big thing that’s kept me pushing on and trying to get back,” Pattinson said at the time.

“It was really difficult. I think fourth time I had a stress fracture in a same area in my back so that’s why we decided to go for surgery it was the last resort. (There is) fair bit of anxiety around when you go down that path as you know if it doesn’t go well, that’s probably your career done. But I was always optimistic, it would work.”

Meanwhile, in NSW’s three-day intra-squad trial match that began on Tuesday, Test spinner Nathan Lyon suffered a mild concussion and as a precaution has withdrawn from the rest of the fixture.

Lyon was injured while fielding late in the day, after bowling 20 well executed overs (1-79), and is expected to play in next week’s Sheffield Shield opener.