Wily spinner Patel calls time with Firebirds
Jeetan Patel has been granted an early release from his Cricket Wellington contract and will end a nearly 20-year career with the Firebirds later this month.
Cricket Wellington yesterday announced it had agreed to release the veteran offspinner who will continue as a spin bowling consultant with England for their tours of South Africa and Sri Lanka.
Patel, 39, will be farewelled by home fans at the Basin Reserve on December 18 in his final match for the province, against Central Stags in the Twenty20 Super Smash.
‘‘The opportunity to take up a role with England is one that doesn’t come around often and one I simply can’t turn down,’’ Patel said in a statement.
‘‘I’ve been hugely privileged to be able to represent Wellington for almost 20 years. This game has given me so many enjoyable moments and the Firebirds and the Cricket Wellington logo is something that is very important to me.
‘‘I’m so fortunate to be able to come back and play year-on-year and see this group grow. This environment I’m leaving is in great shape.’’
Patel is contracted with Warwickshire again next year which he plans to complete alongside his England commitments.
He was contracted for this season with Wellington and returned for the start of Plunket Shield in October but was granted a temporary release to join England’s staff for the
Twenty20 series against the Black Caps. Patel returned to the Firebirds for five Ford Trophy matches last month.
Patel made his first-class debut for Wellington against Auckland in February, 2000. In
134 first-class matches for Wellington he took 333 wickets – fourth on the province’s all-time list behind Ewan Chatfield (403), Evan Gray (357) and Mark Gillespie (344). In all formats Patel sits on 499 wickets for the Firebirds.
He played 24 tests, and after nine years of back-to-back summers in England and New Zealand Patel sits on 892 firstclass wickets. That places him fourth on the New Zealand list, behind Sir Richard Hadlee (1490), Clarrie Grimmett (1424) and Sid Smith (955).
Firebirds coach Glenn Pocknall said it was a bittersweet moment but he backed Patel’s decision.
‘‘He’s been a big part of the furniture of Cricket Wellington for 20 years so when you lose someone who has impacted the organisation like Jeets has, it does come with a bit of sadness.
‘‘The biggest part he’ll leave behind is the standards that he’s set here as a professional and the way he has helped mentor his team-mates through the way he plays his cricket.’’