Player Profile(#41)...Jeetan Patel (New Zealand)

Jeetan Shashi Patel (born 7 May 1980 in Wellington) is a New Zealand cricketer of Indian origin. Patel is a right arm off spin bowler. He plays domestic cricket for the Wellington Firebirds and has represented the New Zealand Black Caps in One Day Internationals, Twenty20 matches, and a Test.

Patel was earmarked as a promising player early in his career. He played age group cricket in Wellington at under 15, under 17, and under 19 levels. He played for the New Zealand Cricket Academy in a one-day match against England A in 1999 and made his debut for Wellington in New Zealand's 1999-2000 domestic season. Patel currently has a first class bowling average of around 40 and a List A bowling average in the mid-30s.

Patel showed steady improvement as a bowler during the 2004-05 season, taking 26 first class wickets at an average of 32.84. He played two one-dayers against South Africa A on the 2004-05 New Zealand A tour of South Africa. He represented the North Island in the 2004-05 State of Origin match and played for the New Zealand Academy in the 2005 Cricket Australia Emerging Players Tournament.

In the 2004 English Season, he represented Buckingham Town Cricket Club, making a big impact in the 1st Team as well as progressing youngsters in local development schemes. Patel became the first player in twenty years to take 50 league wickets during his spell at the Bourton Road club and first player ever to go on to play international cricket.

Patel was a member of the 2005-06 New Zealand Black Caps tour of Zimbabwe. He made his ODI debut for New Zealand against Zimbabwe in the 2005-06 Videocon Tri-Series. He toured Sri Lanka with New Zealand A later in the season and played in the Triangular A Team Tournament at the conclusion of the tour.

Patel was selected for the one-day leg of New Zealand's 2005-06 tour of South Africa. He made his international Twenty20 debut on the tour and was named Man of the Match, returning bowling figures of 3 for 20 off 4 overs. He played as a Supersub in the first ODI against the Proteas, returning creditable bowling figures of 2 for 48 off 8. Other career highlights include a Man of the Match performance for New Zealand against Sri Lanka in the fourth ODI of Sri Lanka's 2005-06 tour of New Zealand. Playing as a Supersub in his fourth ODI, Patel restricted the run rate and built pressure at a crucial period during Sri Lanka's run chase, finishing with match figures of 2 for 23 off 10.

Patel made his Test debut against South Africa in the second Test of New Zealand's 2006 tour of South Africa.

New Zealand coach John Bracewell has described Patel as a "long term investment". He is the selectors' preferred second spinner in international matches, behind Daniel Vettori.

Patel is not related to former New Zealand spin bowler Dipak Patel.





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