Victorian skipper Peter Handscomb has urged national selectors to take a cautious approach with paceman James Pattinson after his eye-catching return from injury.
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Pattinson played his first Shield game since the 2016-17 final and major back surgery last November in the drawn match against South Australia at the MCG.
He eased into his comeback with eight overs (0-32) in the first innings then ripped through the Redbacks' top order in the second - dispatching Callum Ferguson, Tom Cooper and Jake Lehmann - to finish with figures of 3-24 from nine overs.
"It's awesome ... he provides so much energy for the team even though he wasn't bowling at full pace," Handscomb told AAP.
"He still strikes that fear into the batter.
"But patience is key (with him) ... he's been rushed back before and it didn't work.
"Obviously this time it was one hell of a surgery and every precaution needs to be taken."
The 28-year-old played the last of his 17 Tests in New Zealand in February 2016 before the recurrence of debilitating stress fractures in his lower back sidelined him once again.
He had pins and part of his hip inserted into his spine late last year in a bid to solve the problem.
Pattinson, who pulled up well after his first-class return, plans to spend the Australian summer with Victoria in the Shield competition and new BBL team Brisbane Heat.
With a clean bill of health and a summer of cricket under his belt he hopes to put his hand up for selection for next year's Ashes series.
Handscomb might not spend much longer with the top-of-the-table Victorian side if he continues strong form with the bat.
The right-hander made a gutsy first-innings 123 to turn the match in his side's favour, which followed on from an outstanding one-day series that included four half-centuries.
"I'm feeling good mentally and physically," Handscomb said.
"But it's a funny game ... you can go from highs to lows in cricket pretty quickly.
"So I'm just enjoying it. I love playing for Victoria, we're having so much fun here at the moment."
Scott Boland, who last appeared in the ODI team in 2016, also gave his chances of a return to the national set-up a boost with a blistering first-innings spell to finish with figures of 7-54.
He ended the game with nine wickets to claim player-of-the-match honours and lead all Shield bowlers with 24 wickets.
Australian Associated Press
