Tearaway turns his hand to batting and hits three figures in Futures League clash in Adelaide
Pattinson tons up in return for Vics
Paceman James Pattinson has posted a century in his return to Victoria colours against South Australia in the Toyota Futures League.
Playing as a batsman, Pattinson came to the crease with the Vics at 4-85 at Karen Rolton Oval in Adelaide, and proceeded to spend the next three hours in the middle, making 108 from 147 balls, with 17 fours.
It was an impressive rescue act from the left-hander, who shared a fifth-wicket stand of 163 with Victoria young gun Will Pucovski (88).
Pattinson had been recovering well from serious back surgery and was in line to make his return to top-level cricket via the JLT One-Day Cup, however a mild hip flexor problem in the days leading into the tournament curtailed those hopes.
The right-arm quick missed the entire 2017-18 summer after undergoing surgery in New Zealand late last year, after a fifth back stress fracture led to metal pins being inserted and his troublesome L4 vertebrae strengthened with wire.
Pattinson resumed bowling in the winter but the 28-year-old has also developed his batting in recent years, as shown by some strong form at the back-end of the 2016-17 Sheffield Shield and in last year's County Championship.
His run of scores then and a first-class average of 25 to go with five half-centuries had some discussing the possibility of him playing as a bowling allrounder at No.7, and potentially affording Australia the luxury of playing spinner Nathan Lyon alongside a 'Big Four' pace attack of Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.
"I love my batting, I work pretty hard on it," Pattinson told cricket.com.au last year. "Every time I go out there I put a value on my wicket.
"Being a fast bowler, there's nothing worse than seeing someone come in at No.8 and batting for 200 balls.
"I've always hoped that I could get to No.7 one day and become an allrounder."
Pattinson had made his long-awaited return to competitive cricket with his local Premier side Dandenong in the Melbourne competition last Saturday, making 22 from No.5 as he again played solely as a batsman.