Pattinson suffers major injury blow

Brisbane Heat have been dealt a major injury blow with star fast bowler James Pattinson ruled out of the remainder of the KFC BBL season through injury.

Pattinson suffered a side strain in Brisbane's eight-wicket loss to Melbourne Renegades at the Gabba on Thursday.

Scans yesterday confirmed the injury and Pattinson has travelled with the Heat to Melbourne for their return clash with the Renegades tomorrow in Geelong.

The right-armer has bowled with express pace in his comeback season after undergoing back surgery November 2017.

In five matches for Brisbane he has taken four wickets and in four JLT Sheffield Shield games for Victoria the 28-year-old has nine wickets at 33.

Pattinson has stated that his goal is to make it to the 2019 Ashes and join Test trio Mitch Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood as Australia's fearsome four-pronged attack.

"To not have been available to play in a Test series together so far is a bit disappointing," Pattinson told cricket.com.au in October.

"We always talk about how good it would be to play together, so that's another driving factor, to get up back with them.

"You hear the media talk about the 'Big Three' and you think, two years ago it was the 'Big Four'. You think about how good that bond could be if we could get it all together, and we could rotate through Test matches.

"At the moment for me that looks a long way away, but if I can string together a few Shield games before the Big Bash starts, then who knows?"

Allrounder Ben Cutting, who suffered a gruesome cut to his forehead after dropping a catch against the Renegades, has been cleared to play, with uncapped bowler Jack Prestwidge and Test batsman Marnus Labuschagne also in the squad. 

Heat squad:  Chris Lynn (c), Max Bryant, Ben Cutting, Brendan Doggett, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Lalor, Brendon McCullum (Int), James Peirson, Jack Prestwidge, Matt Renshaw, Alex Ross, Mitchell Swepson, Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Int)