HAVING spearheaded the Irish attack in 14 games this summer, Mark Patterson might be excused for complaining about "trench feet".
In fact, the real grind has only just begun. The 22 year old from Cliftonville is on a six week contract with Surrey until the end of the season and his new employers are clearly intent on testing his durability.
His first week's workload was relatively light - a three day game against Hampshire's 2nd XI at The Oval (1/38 off 18 overs) and a one day match in which he returned figures if 1/50 off 11 with 25 runs coming from one over.
The schedule becomes a little more rigorous this week, with seven days' cricket on the trot. A 2nd XI game, against Somerset at Clevedon, began yesterday and then it's back up to the Oval for a first class fixture against the touring South Africa A side, starting on Thursday.
Fortunately, Patterson is not work shy. Operating off a run up of about 25 metres, he consistently charges in at full pelt and bangs the ball into the turf, before bustling back to his mark to start all over again. His resilience, was particularly evident in the second innings against the MCC at Malahide in June, which was when he was first approached by Tony Pigott, Surrey's 2nd XI captain and coach.
Once Paul Parker had settled, Ireland's chances of winning or even saving the game began To dwindle. Typically, Patterson kept roaring in, beating the bat on numerous occasions but failing to find the edge. His final figures, 0/ 8,1 from 20 overs, gave no indication of how well he had bowled but he had clearly made a favourable impression.
Patterson has just completed a Physical Education course at university but is keen to succeed as a professional cricketer. It will be interesting to see how he manages. While not quite express, he bowls at a nippy pace and will probably gain a yard or two over the next couple of years.
He bowls chest on to the hatsman but a good hand action allows him to run the ball away to the slips and his accuracy has improved considerably since he came into the Irish side at the start of last season.
That was at Hove, supposedly a happy hunting ground for seamers but not that friendly a place if you have to run up a pronounced slope into a pronounced breeze against county batsmen. The reason for this was that Owen Butler, younger and a little quicker, was given choice of ends. Only two days before at The Oval, Butler had impressed Alec Stewart - "good pace and attitude" - and had informally invited the Old Belvedere player over to play some cricket for Surrey.
Later last year, Worcestershire also displayed an interest before a shin injury halted his progress.
While Butler has been recovering, consistently taking wickets for his club, his former new ball partner has moved onwards and upwards. Luckily, a few opportunities remain to bridge the gap over the coming month.
The Development Squad played the first of four interprovincials at Ormeau on Sunday and there is also a three match tour of England at the end of August. With Patterson busy at Surrey, it's even conceivable that he will be picked to play Scotland in the annual three day game in three weeks' time.
The selectors have delayed naming this side until today, while they check on the availability of Patterson and others. By then, Alan Lewis should be fully fit and ready to resume captaincy of the side, despite the remarkable success rate of deputy Justin Benson in his absence.
Lisburn's Derek Heasley is definitely out with shin splints and will not play representative cricket again this year.
