Sometimes athletes are ahead of their time, and sometimes they're saddled with injury battles that they can't win.<\/p>\n
In the case of retiring quick James Pattinson, it may have been both.<\/p>\n
Former Test skipper Ian Chappell said the Victorian's disjointed Test career may have stemmed from a combination of bad luck and bad timing as much as technique.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
"From everything I've heard, mainly from Dennis [Lillee], technique does play a part in it. And since the early days of Pattinson's injuries, they seem to have learned a hell of a lot," Chappell told Wide World of Sports.<\/p>\n
READ MORE:<\/strong> Wayne Bennett officially confirmed as Dolphins NRL coach<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong> The stunning workout that decided Josh Giddey's NBA future<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n "He'd probably be better off if he was just starting now, than when he did start."<\/p>\n The 31-year-old announced his retirement from Test cricket yesterday, more than a decade after he stormed onto the scene in a debut series against New Zealand.<\/p>\n Both he and Mitchell Starc got their baggy greens on the same day – and while it's the two-metre tall left-hander from New South Wales who has remained a permanent fixture at the highest level for the most part, it was the right-hander from Victoria who got all the early adulation.<\/p>\n Pattinson was named player of the series, and few would forget how he took the fight to an imperious Indian batting line-up on Boxing Day a few weeks later, staring down some of the best bats in the world and backing it up with ball in hand.<\/p>\n But then the injuries started, and the opportunities became few and far between.<\/p>\n "When there were times when he could have pushed himself into the top three [pace bowlers], he'd get injured and that's what set him back," Chappell said.<\/p>\n Starc and Pattinson debuted just after Pat Cummins, and a couple of years before Josh Hazelwood. The quartet were considered the most talented crop of young fast bowlers in the country for some time.<\/p>\n "Skill-wise, he was up there with the other three," Chappell said of Pattinson.<\/p>\n "He seems to have had more bad luck than the rest of them. Hazlewood's probably been the one that's as free of injury as anyone, and he's got a pretty simple action, a bit like Glenn McGrath. A very repeatable action.<\/p>\n "One was always going to miss out more than the rest, and it just happened to be Pattinson – but I think it was mainly down to the injuries."<\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong> Ronaldo leads Manchester United to wild 3-2 victory<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong> Australia thrashed by India in T20 World Cup warm-up<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Pattinson's career ends with 81 Test wickets at an average of 26.33.<\/p>\n Despite their difference in stature and one being left-handed, comparisons with Bruce Reid – another fiery quick whose career was cut short by injuries – became inevitable.<\/p>\n "It wasn't so surprising with Bruce Reid because of his build – but both showed you enough that you knew they were bloody fine bowlers," Chappell said.<\/p>\n "You just think there could have been two, three hundred Test wickets instead of 80 odd."<\/p>\n Chappell said the quality of Pattinson had always been there from the first time he saw him play.<\/p>\n "Somebody who's got decent pace, 90 miles an hour plus, and you can move the ball out – anyone who can do that is going to have success.<\/p>\n "It was those two things and his competitiveness. They were the things that struck me when I first saw him."<\/p>\n For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by<\/strong><\/em> clicking here!<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n
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