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James Pattinson Begins Ashes Push

JAMES PATTINSON Picture: Sarah Ansell/Getty Images

James Pattinson has begun his push for Ashes selection with three wickets on Australia A's opening day of red-ball cricket in England.

In his first game in Australian colours in more than three years, Pattinson claimed 3-30 against Sussex as they went to stumps at 5-118 on a day shortened by rain.

Jackson Bird and Michael Neser picked up one wicket each, while Josh Hazlewood finished 0-35 off his 11 overs.

Desperate to return to Australia's squad as a pace-bowling option for the Ashes, Pattinson took his wickets with full pitched bowling and the ball moving off the seam.

"Over here you've got to try and attack the stumps," he said.

"We spoke about it as a bowling group, to try and hit the top of the stumps and hit the right areas ... that challenging length."

Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Hazlewood are likely to be first choice for the Ashes Test at Edgbaston on August 1, but Pattinson and Jhye Richardson could apply pressure on the trio.

Victorian Pattinson took eight wickets in his last county match for Northamptonshire last month, including 6-73 in the first innings against Kent.