"The son of Indian parents, but born and brought up in Wellington's eastern suburbs, offspinner Jeetan Patel was fast-tracked into the New Zealand side after John Bracewell, the coach, identified him as the sort of slow bowler who could be effective at the death. Patel first played for Wellington in 1999-2000, bowling 59 overs and taking 5 for 145 against Auckland on his debut. Three middling seasons followed, and he seemed to be heading nowhere, with an average in the mid-forties. But then he took 6 for 32 against Otago in the last State Championship match of 2004-05, propelling Wellington into the final against Auckland, which they lost. Suddenly good judges were noting his ability to make the ball loop and drift, not unlike a right-handed Daniel Vettori."
I want to talk about Patels drift and loop.
It is hard to tell from TV - and you can only really judge if you face him - but compared to other spin bowlers that I do observe on TV he doesn't get much drift or loop. And that is his problem. Harbajhan (spelling?) gets loads of loop.
When I first observed Patel - i thought he was foolish. He seemed to just try to spin the ball as much as possible with no game plan for where he was trying to bowl. And then he came out in an interview and said he was going to try to stop spinning it as much and go for control.
I think what helps make the ball loop is the number or revolutions you put on it. So I think if he has the ability to spin it more he should go back to that because this control business isn't troubling the best batsman in the world. It is probably good for one dayers though. For the record I think that Patel has ok control and ok line and length. Except when players use their feet to him and then he doesn't know what to do and gets screwed up.
