Stags spoil Patel’s farewell party
Jeetan Patel rode off into the Wellington cricketing sunset with his two young children, his farewell match delivering everything but a victory yesterday.
Patel’s Firebirds gave him a guard of honour onto the Basin Reserve in his final match in yellow and black, but couldn’t provide a winning farewell as Central Stags were too polished in a 24-run victory in the Twenty20 Super Smash.
The defending champions went two from two to join Otago Volts atop the men’s ladder as they defended 183-6.
Nearly 20 years since his debut, one of domestic cricket’s more popular figures cantered out to bat to a guard of honour from the applauding Stags, too. He was caught on the boundary for two then departed to another standing ovation from the small weekday crowd, waving his bat, before Wellington ended 159-9.
Again the Stags’ international attack was hard to handle; left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel outstanding in taking 3-20 while seamer Blair Tickner was good on his injury return.
Tickner suffered a bloodied hand in a fielding mishap and returned to take 2-36, having Jimmy Neesham dropped twice before snaring the power hitter for 37 off 20 balls.
Patel, 39, was granted a release from
Central Stags 183-6 off 20 overs (Tom Bruce 56, Dane Cleaver 48; Jeetan Patel 2-30) bt Wellington Firebirds 159-9 off 20 overs (Jimmy Neesham 37, Michael Pollard 32; Ajaz Patel 3-20, Kieran Noema-Barnett 2-19, Ben Wheeler 2-30, Blair Tickner 2-36) by 24 runs.
his Cricket Wellington contract to continue as England’s spin bowling consultant for upcoming tours of South Africa and Sri Lanka. It meant he got to squeeze in a home farewell before heading to Africa.
The offspinner bowled an excellent farewell four-over spell, snaring 2-30 before being led off the ground by his kids clad in their own Firebirds shirts.