Don’t blame Pattinson for loss: Vaughan

England captain Michael Vaughan said controversial debutant Darren Pattinson had “tried his guts out”...

England captain Michael Vaughan said controversial debutant Darren Pattinson had “tried his guts out” as he cleared him of blame for the team’s 10-wicket second Test thrashing by South Africa.

However, Vaughan admitted England’s selection policy appeared “confused” after the Proteas went 1-0 up in the four-Test series, with two to play, after the drawn opener at Lord’s.

Pace bowler Pattinson, born in the east coast English port town of Grimsby but brought up in Australia, was all set to take his family to an amusement park when he found himself thrust onto a rollercoaster of a different kind as England handed him a shock debut.

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“It does look a confused selection — but the selection of one person does not lose you a Test match,” said Vaughan, who saw his 50th Test as England captain end in a big defeat with a day to spare here on Monday at his Headingley home ground.

“We lost a Test match because we didn’t play well enough.”

Now the most famous former roof tiler in England, the soon-to-be 30-year-old Pattinson’s elevation to Test status after just 11 first-class appearances in place of injured Nottinghamshire colleague Ryan Sidebottom was a debating point in itself. But what really angered the likes of former England captain Graham Gooch was the selectors’ readiness to hand a cap to a man who made his name with Melbourne club side Dandenong when there were homegrown alternatives such as Matthew Hoggard and Simon Jones available.

Pattinson took two wickets for 95 runs in 30 grafting overs during the Proteas’ first innings 522. He also showed plenty of heart with the bat, hanging around for over 45 minutes on Monday coming in at No 11 and helping Stuart Broad, who top-scored with 67 not out.