Australia's Pattinson to return home after abuse ban

Published November 18, 2019
Fast bowler James Pattinson has left the Australia camp in Brisbane and will return to his home state Victoria in the wake of his one-Test ban for personal abuse of an opponent. — AFP via Deccan Chronicle
Fast bowler James Pattinson has left the Australia camp in Brisbane and will return to his home state Victoria in the wake of his one-Test ban for personal abuse of an opponent. — AFP via Deccan Chronicle

Fast bowler James Pattinson has left the Australia camp in Brisbane and will return to his home state Victoria in the wake of his one-Test ban for personal abuse of an opponent.

Pattinson was handed the ban when he admitted abusing a Queensland player during a domestic match last week.

He had been vying with Mitchell Starc for the third pace-bowling spot in the Australia side for the first Test against Pakistan, which starts in Brisbane on Thursday.

Cricket Australia (CA) said Pattinson had been given a couple of days' leave to rest with family and would then return to his Victoria base to prepare for the second and final test against Pakistan in Adelaide from November 29.

The decision had been made during a regular meeting of team management late on Sunday and was considered the best course of preparation for the 29-year-old bowler, a CA spokesman said.

The spokesman denied local media reports that said the decision was made for "player welfare" reasons.

Australia have cracked down on bad behaviour by their players since the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa in early 2018 that led to one-year bans for then captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner.

Current captain Tim Paine told state radio on Sunday that Pattinson knew he had "let himself down (and) let the group down". His Australia and Victoria team mate Peter Siddle backed Pattinson to regain his place in the Test side.

"It's an emotional game and sometimes you go a bit too far [...] but its because you care," the veteran seamer told local media.

"He's not trying to do anything stupid, he just cares about the team and wants to get results. He's got to miss this Test and that will hurt him."

Opinion

Editorial

Narcotic darkness
08 May, 2024

Narcotic darkness

WE have plenty of smoke with fire. Citizens, particularly parents, caught in Pakistan’s grave drug problem are on...
Saudi delegation
08 May, 2024

Saudi delegation

PLANS to bring Saudi investment to Pakistan have clearly been put on the fast track. Over the past month, Prime...
Reserved seats
Updated 08 May, 2024

Reserved seats

The truth is that the entire process — from polls, announcement of results, formation of assemblies and elections to the Senate — has been mishandled.
Impending slaughter
Updated 07 May, 2024

Impending slaughter

Seven months into the slaughter, there are no signs of hope.
Wheat investigation
07 May, 2024

Wheat investigation

THE Shehbaz Sharif government is in a sort of Catch-22 situation regarding the alleged wheat import scandal. It is...
Naila’s feat
07 May, 2024

Naila’s feat

IN an inspirational message from the base camp of Nepal’s Mount Makalu, Pakistani mountaineer Naila Kiani stressed...