Darren Pattinson has his eyes on further success after enjoying a barnstorming debut season for Victoria.By Marc McGowan
NARRE Warren South cricket sensation Darren Pattinson has been pinching himself all season long as he bullocks his way through a dream-like 2006-07.
Pattinson, 28, has always been a promising fast-medium bowler, but he is a shining example of what persistence can achieve.
He won the Wookey Medal, awarded to the fairest and best player in Turf One competition in the Dandenong District Cricket Association, as a 19-year-old for Doveton in 1997-98.
The bowling all-rounder’s cricketing journey reached new heights when at the age of 20 he finally accepted Victorian Premier Cricket side Dandenong’s constant overtures to play.
After toiling away for the majority of the past decade at district level and becoming one of the most respected players in the competition, Pattinson was resigned to the fact higher honours had passed him by.
He certainly had no thoughts of cracking Victoria’s feared line-up heading into this season.
“No, definitely not. I was just hoping to play for Dandenong and do well for them, and hopefully win a premiership,” Pattinson said.
That all changed when his outstanding early season form earned him a Bushrangers call-up after snaring 20 wickets at at average of 14.55 runs for the Panthers.
Pattinson’s debut against Queensland in the national competition’s one-day cup on 29 November was just the start of his rapid rise.
“I just thought, ‘Hopefully, I’ll do OK and maybe they’ll pick me for another game,” the self-employed roof tiler said.
His tidy figures of 1/27 from five overs guaranteed he would remain in the selectors’ sights, and so it proved as he has since played regularly in both the one-day and four-day forms of the game.
Pattinson has been a regular wicket-taker at state level and is beginning to feel that he belongs.
“But it’s taken a while,” he said.
“I obviously want to continue playing more for Victoria.
“It’s helped that they’ve had a few injuries, but over the last few years I’ve been taking quite a few wickets for Dandenong.”
Pattinson’s great form culminated in a berth in Victoria’s side for Sunday’s one-day final against, coincidentally, Queensland at the MCG.
Not only did he take his place, but he was the pick of his side’s bowlers in capturing 2/49 off 10 express overs as the Bushrangers went down by 21 runs.
“I thought I did OK. I was pretty nervous before the game,” Pattinson said.
Bushrangers head coach Greg Shipperd has been pleasantly surprised with the local star and said the challenge was on for him to keep it up.
“I think he’s a terrific player,” Shipperd said.
“He’s come out of the blue this season and has performed particularly well in one-day cricket and now he’s getting a chance in Pura Cup as well.
“He’s certainly been a bolter, but we are well aware of who’s out there in Premier Cricket and he was doing well at the right time.”
Shipperd has been impressed by Pattinson’s bowling skills and believes he has room to improve.
“Darren’s got some raw pace, a nice repeatable action, and a degree of consistency that’s appealing,” he said.
“He has a lot of upside, considering this is his first year, and he’s a strong-bodied fella.”
Pattinson said his goals had changed in the sport after his breakthrough season and he was looking forward to playing the game well into his 30s.
“(Queensland and former Australian fast-bowler) Andy Bichel is still going at 36, so if I’m fit enough and still bowling well I’d like to keep going for a while,” he said.
