Patel loss is blow to Warwicks' title hopes

By Paul Bolton, County News Correspondent

Warwickshire will lose off-spinner Jeetan Patel for a crucial part of their LV= County Championship run-in. Patel’s success in county cricket this summer has secured him a recall to New Zealand’s squad for their two-Test trip to India later this month.

Patel, who has taken 38 Championship wickets this season including four five wicket hauls, has been called up as a replacement for Daniel Vettori, another former Warwickshire player, who has been ruled out by a groin injury. Patel, 32, has played 13 Tests so far, the last of them against Zimbabwe last November.

When he re-signed for a third stint as Warwickshire’s overseas player it was expected that Patel would be available for the entire season but he is now expected to miss at least three County Championship matches, including the crunch meeting with Nottinghamshire at Edgbaston starting on August 28.

Warwickshire hope that Patel might be available to return to play for them in a possible title-decider against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge on September 11.

Patel’s absence leaves Warwickshire with major headaches as slow left-armer Chris Metters, who took 29 wickets for them last season, has been ruled out for the remainder of the season by a shoulder ligament injury. Paul Best, the Cambridge University slow left-armer, is the only other specialist spinner on the staff at Edgbaston but he has limited first team experience.

Warwickshire will struggle to sign and process the necessary paperwork to recruit a locum overseas player to replace Patel at short notice so a move into the loan market might be an option.


Date: 07/08/2012 21:01:20 by Paul Bolton
In: Warwickshire | Today |