LEEDS (England), July 18: Former England captain Graham Gooch has questioned the “left-field” decision to hand a Test debut to Australia-raised Darren Pattinson.

The 29-year-old Nottinghamshire bowler was a surprise choice to replace his injured county colleague Ryan Sidebottom in the England side for the second Test against South Africa at Headingley here on Friday.

Although born in Grimsby, northern England, Pattinson grew up in Melbourne and his younger brother has represented the Australia Under-19 team.

Former Essex and England opening batsman Gooch, writing on his BBC website blog, said selecting players such as Pattinson, who only started playing county cricket for Nottinghamshire earlier this season, risked devaluing the international game as a whole.

“Today’s selection of Darren Pattinson for England is one of the most left-field decisions I’ve ever seen,” Gooch wrote. “I’ve got no problem with Darren but we’ve got to look at the bigger picture. “The international game is in danger of being devalued if we have many more selections like this.”

He added: “I captained England 34 times and many of the players under me were born overseas.

“I’m talking of Allan Lamb, Robin Smith (both born in South Africa) and Graeme Hick (born in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe) – none of them born in England but all fantastic servants for this country. These were men who decided to make their life in England and bring up their kids here.

“They were passionate about playing for the three Lions, but Pattinson's father says he’s a proud Aussie – and his brother plays for their Under-19 side,” Gooch stated.

“Can you switch from being a proud Australian to a passionate Englishman overnight?” he questioned. “I grew up in London watching great men like Ken Barrington, Colin Cowdrey and Fred Trueman play for their country.

“Representing England is more than just cricket, more than just a game or a pay packet. It’s a tremendous honour, and it should be treated as such by players and the selectors. Is this what playing for your country has come to?” Gooch expressed.—AFP