After injury-riddled early career, Pattinson hopes to play ‘another five years’

With the exception of a broken toe suffered taking throwdowns from senior assistant coach Andrew McDonald, Pattinson has been injury-free for some two years.

In that time, he has played four Tests, ending a run of more than three and a half years out of the national side, and come through two Shield campaigns.

“I haven’t, touch wood, had a big injury for a while,” Pattinson told The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age. “The fact I’ve played a bit of cricket after that surgery and built my loads up it makes you more relaxed with everything.”

So much so, he has a goal to play well into his 30s, which, if achieved, should see him double his Test tally of 21.

“I’m 30 now, I’m aiming to have another five years in the game. If I can get to my mid 30s, I’ll be pretty happy with all my injuries,” Pattinson said. “It’s just about staying fit and being there.

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“If I’m going to be 12th man here and there for the next five years, hopefully we’ll have a pretty successful bowling group.”

Pattinson’s program is placing an emphasis on maintenance to strengthen his back and avoid stiffness, and he trains smarter rather than harder, conserving his energy for game day.

“Even the way I bowl in the nets, I bowl at 100 per cent for a couple of overs just to make sure I’ve still got it,” Pattinson said.

“The rest of it is around the 80 per cent mark whereas I used to charge in and bowl at match intensity a lot in the nets. Over time you work it out that it’s not sustainable if you try and go at 100 per cent all the time.”

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The once “big four” of Australia’s fast bowlers is now more commonly referenced as the “big three” but Pattinson says he is not envious of what Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, all of whom he has known since junior days, have achieved.

Though an incumbent, Pattinson is not a likely starter for the series-opener in Adelaide but with four Tests in a month followed by another three in South Africa in February-March there will be opportunities, provided he stays fit.

“I’m just lucky to have the opportunity to still be in with a chance to play Test cricket after going through such a tough period with my back, getting surgery and that sort of thing,” Pattinson said.

“I’m thankful I’m back in the Test squad and being looked at. Sometimes you can want too much but it’s about trying to live in the moment and being thankful for what you have now.

“At the moment I’m working to get a spot but if I’m getting left out of the team because they’re in there Australia’s bowling stocks are pretty strong.”