PATTINSON CUT DOWN BY LAWN- MOWING ACCIDENT
JAMES Pattinson has spent years fighting to overcome career- threatening back injuries, only to be ruled out of the Sydney Test after losing a fight with a lawnmower.
Australia’s first reserve fast bowler has suffered bruised ribs after a freak fall at his Victorian property, which came after he was granted leave from the Melbourne hub following the Boxing Day Test.
News Corp understands Pattinson injured himself mowing the lawn when he tripped on a stormwater drain cover.
Pattinson was highly unlikely to play at the SCG anyway, but his absence could make it less likely for another squad member Sean Abbott to be given early leave to rejoin the Sydney Sixers in the BBL.
It’s unknown how many Australian stars will go back to the BBL after a long and gruelling summer in the bubble, but clubs are increasingly confident the strength of Cricket Australia’s hubs in Sydney and Brisbane should mean players can instantly enter BBL land without quarantining.
Meanwhile, spin king Nathan Lyon – gearing up for his 99th Test at the SCG – has revealed he’s set to unveil brand new plans designed to unravel India’s new captain.
Lyon conceded Rahane got the better of him on Boxing Day on his way to a matchshaping century for India, but ‘ The Goat’, who needs just six wickets to reach the 400- wicket milestone, has done his homework for a revenge mission at the SCG.
“I think Rahane played me extremely well in Melbourne so I know I have already come up with a couple of different plans for him and a few different guys, so I am looking forward to putting them in place,” said Lyon.
“To be honest with you,
I think we have been pretty happy with our bowling a squad. To take 20 wickets quite quickly in Adelaide and then to be challenged a little bit in Melbourne and to stay there and keep creating chances was a positive, so we are very confident as a bowling group.”
The Australians are on guard for India revamping their batting line- up again to include vice- captain Rohit Sharma – who has just come out of quarantine.