Australia vs New Zealand: Justin Langer confirms James Pattinson's inclusion for Boxing Day Test

Sport360 staff 01:03 22/12/2019
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  • Australia head coach Justin Langer has confirmed the participation of James Pattinson in the second Test against New Zealand at Melbourne on December 26.

    The fast bowler is likely to take the place of Josh Hazlewood who suffered a hamstring strain during the day-night Test at Perth. Peter Siddle is expected to be the reserve player in the squad.

    “I am really looking forward to seeing Patto bowl and bowl well in this Boxing Day Test, which is his home ground as well,” Langer told 6PR on Saturday.

    “James Pattinson was 12th man in the last game and I hope what I have shown in the last 18 months is that we have been really consistent in our selection.

    Pattinson last featured for Australia in an Ashes Test in August this year at Leeds. The 29-year-old was suspended for the first Test of the subsequent series against Pakistan for spouting obscene personal abuse at Queensland’s Cameron Gannon during a Sheffield Shield game. Since then, he has not got a look in with Australia winning all three home Tests of the summer so far.

    “He’s been unlucky, he only played a couple of Tests in the Ashes and he is so hungry like Mitchell Starc. The way he has come back from playing [two] Tests in the Ashes has just been brilliant.”

    Australia will be looking to wrap up the three-Test series following their emphatic 296-run win in Perth.

    The playing surface at MCG for the Boxing Day Test has come under a lot of scrutiny after being rated ‘poor’ by the ICC in 2017 and earlier this year a domestic game was suspended as the pitch was deemed unsafe to bat on.

    However, Langer was confident that Matt Page, the pitch curator at the MCG would deliver a sporting wicket.

    “I know they are going to be under some pressure, there is no doubt about that,” Langer said. “But I also know that Matt Page is an incredibly hard worker.

    “They got it wrong in the last Shield game, but they were getting it right for the two Shield games before. He’ll have some nervous nights Pagey, but I am confident he will get a good wicket up.”

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