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James Pattinson is feeling good after delivering 27 overs at the Ashes opener at Edgbaston, his biggest workload in a single innings since 2014.
James Pattinson is feeling fit and fresh after delivering 27 overs at Edgbaston, his highest workload in an innings at any level since 2014.
The ongoing first Ashes Test marks the first time Pattinson has rolled his arm over for Australia in three and a half years.
There was no soft landing for the 29-year-old during England's first innings.
Pattinson, who will have to play a key role with the ball if Australia are to secure a 1-0 series lead, hasn't bowled so many overs in an innings since an epic 2014 Test in Cape Town.
Pattinson delivered a total of 45.5 overs in that game, triggering one of the many back injuries to have derailed his career.
The Victorian felt no sign of physical discomfort on day three of the first Ashes Test, during which he held an important catch at fine leg to dismiss Stuart Broad.
"I actually felt really good today," Pattinson said.
"My first spell was probably the best I felt for the game.
"I managed to bowl a fair few overs in a game for Nottingham, which gave me great confidence.
"Touch wood, everything's feeling alright. The pins and screws seem to be working well."
Every step of the express paceman's return from major spinal surgery in 2017 - which involved metal pins, wire and a graft from his hip bone - has been mapped out carefully by Cricket Australia.
But this five-Test series, the goal that Pattinson set after going under the knife, was always going to prove taxing.
The expectation is that Pattinson will most likely be replaced by Mitchell Starc in Australia's XI for the second Test at Lord's, regardless of his performance in Birmingham.
Pattinson is just thrilled to be playing Test cricket again, something he feared may never happen.
"It's pretty special," he said.
"A couple of times when the crowd was going crazy I had to sit there and pinch myself a bit, knowing I've gone through a lot of things to get back.
"Just to be out there after having a pretty horrid run with back injuries ... is something special."
