The fast bowler was forced into an early exit from the bowling crease on day four of the Sheffield Shield final after an apparent recurrence of the hamstring injury he suffered on February 27 and had been cleared to return from in order to play in the shield final.

Pattinson was mid-way through the second over of his second spell when he aborted his run-in just before his delivery stride. Even though there was only one more ball to be bowled before tea the 24-year-old immediately turned and left the field. All-rounder Marcus Stoinis bowled the final delivery of the session.

The Bushrangers confirmed the cause of Pattinson's exit was the condition of his left hamstring, which they described as a "slight hamstring injury". They said he was unable to bowl for the remainder of day four and that it would be reassessed on Wednesday morning. They said the left-hander would be available to bat in the second innings.

He would not be able to have a runner.

While Pattinson was delighted to return for the shield final the match had, even before the suspected injury, not been a good one for him. He had not taken a wicket in his 31.5 overs across both innings and had been his team's most expensive bowler. The right-armer has nevertheless bowled with good pace, and produced a menacing spell at the start of day two that went unrewarded.

Pattinson has been meticulously managed by CA and CV fitness staff because of a succession of injuries, particularly to his back, that have halted his progression. After succumbing to another back injury after his Test comeback in Cape Town last March he made his comeback to top-level Australian domestic cricket in the Big Bash League. He was playing his second match in the shield when he was injured on the final day of the round-seven match against Queensland in Alice Springs.

After that injury CA executive general manager of team performance Pat Howard said Pattinson's chances of rejoining the Test squad for the winter tours of the West Indies and England did not rest on him returning to the shield this season.

Pattinson is not among the large group of Australian players who will soon depart for India for the IPL. He is, along with Mitch Marsh, is due to spend much of April and May in Brisbane training and playing with CA's National Performance Squad.