Pattinson reverts to old action despite risks

Cricket365
December 16, 2015

Australia fast bowler James Pattinson has decided that going back to his old bowling action, even though it saw him injured often, is worth the risk if he's taking wickets.

Pattinson has been one of a few Australia bowlers to find their Test careers hampered by lower back stress fractures, and he's worked hard to remodel his action into something safer.

But during the first Test against the West Indies, he decided to alter the new action a bit, at the risk of injuring himself, in order to find his original rhythm and swing, and it worked. He took a five-fer as Australia won by an innings and 212 runs.

Pattinson explained: "I just ran in and wanted to bowl fast like I did when I first came on the scene. I looked at a bit of vision the night before and I wasn't releasing the ball in the right position, where I wanted to.

"So I did a little bit of work on it in the morning just to get my wrist behind the ball a bit more and get that seam good for out swing.

"It was frustrating because I had changed my action and I didn't feel completely comfortable with it and I think in the second innings here I just went 'stuff it really, I'm just going to go out and try and bowl like I used to bowl' and just run in and bowl fast.

"And I thought if I bowl like I did in the first innings I probably won't be getting too many more games, so you better change something. So it's been a frustrating six months or so but it's good to get a bag of wickets now.

"Every time I ran in to bowl I was just hoping and waiting for that bag of wickets and that confidence that I've been lacking over the last couple of years.

"I've sort of gone back a bit now. It's hard because when you run in and bowl you don't want to be thinking about your action.

"I've made the change to try and stop injuries but hopefully now that I'm back in the team and I'm a bit older, hopefully my body will hold up and I can go back a little bit to where I was when I first started playing because that's when I think I'm bowling my best."