Pattinson backed to maintain fire despite threat of new ban

Fiery speedster James Pattinson is just one misstep away from being suspended again, but Victoria captain Peter Handscomb says he trusts the 31-year-old to "toe the line" between aggression and drawing the ire of match officials.

Pattinson will return from injury this week for Victoria's Marsh Sheffield Shield match against Queensland at Junction Oval knowing even a minor sanction will lead to an automatic ban.

The right-armer was rubbed out of a Marsh One-Day Cup game in November after being found guilty of a Level 2 breach of Cricket Australia's Code of Conduct (CoC) for throwing a ball that struck NSW batter Daniel Hughes in a Shield game.

He was then fined $2500 in December for using an audible obscenity during a KFC BBL match, which is a Level 1 offence.

While Pattinson's offences this summer have been at the lower end of the four-level scale, multiple breaches in a short space of time – no matter how minor – can trigger an automatic ban.

A third offence in an 18-month period would trigger a minimum of two Suspension Points – the equivalent of two limited-overs games or one first-class match – and up to 12 Suspension Points, capped at one year out of the game.

Four offences in 18 months would result in 12 Suspension Points, or a ban of up to a year.

The exact length of any ban would be determined by officials, who consider several factors including the severity of the offences and the player's remorse.

A player's behavioural history over their entire career can also be factored in, which means the suspension Pattinson copped in 2019 after being found guilty of a homophobic slur during a Shield match would also be considered. At the time, it was the speedster's third Code of Conduct breach in six Shield games.

It means the right-armer will be at the mercy of the discretion of the match referee or an independent CoC commissioner if he's found guilty of even a minor breach over the next 15 months, up until the end of the 2022-23 season.

But Handscomb says he has complete faith in Pattinson to moderate his own behaviour, acknowledging the 21-Test player is at his best when he pushes the limits.

"Finding that fine line is tough, but that's not really on me," Handscomb said.

"I trust 'Patto' to know what he's doing, to know how to toe the line. He's toed the line for all of his career, and he's done such a good job at it.

"I trust him to know when to pull back or when to go hard. When he's going hard and when he feels like he can crack a game open, that's when he's at his best."

Pattinson will lead a strong Victorian side featuring six Test players against the Bulls at Junction Oval, including fast bowler Scott Boland and opener Marcus Harris, who have been cleared to play ahead of Australia's Test tour of Pakistan.

Handscomb said having Pattinson, who announced a shock retirement from Test cricket in October, available for the rest of the season will be a huge boost for the Vics, who currently sit on top of the Shield table.

"He'll always be a Test match cricketer in my eyes," Handscomb said.

"He's incredible … he's so good to have on your team; his wrist, his skill, his ability to seize the moment in a game and understand where he can really crack it open is huge.

"What he's going to do for us, the energy he brings and the way he helps the younger bowlers is so good. I'm just pumped to have him back.

"He almost gives you another player out there, like there's 12 of you out there.

"He lifts you, says some stupid s**t out there which makes you laugh and keeps the mood nice and light, so he's great for us, and having him back in the squad is a huge bonus."