Patel needs long spells
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Your support makes all the difference.Although the selectors brought two spinners to Trent Bridge, it is still impossible not to have the general feeling that they are, as a breed, the poor relation in contemporary cricket. They are there to be used as a last resort.
Leg spinner Ian Salisbury was told early on Wednesday morning that he was not wanted and returned to play for Sussex against Hampshire at Arundel.
This left Min Patel who should have played at Lord's where the England attack was so unbalanced. It is lucky that he is a cheerfully resilient chap. All too predictably he was brought on for what is fast becoming the spinner's obligatory over before lunch. He was next given the ball 56 minutes afterwards and bowled five overs into the wind when his length was affected and he bowled too short.
Then, just before tea, he got his chance at the Pavilion End where he was able to use the wind to drift the ball into the right-hander and bowl better.
He bowled the last three overs before the interval from that end and when he started there immediately afterwards one hoped he was going to be given the long spell he needs.
Only then would he have been able to wage a proper campaign against two batsmen who had been in for a long time on an excellent pitch. A long bowl would also have helped Patel to gain the confidence he lacks as a newcomer. But modern thinking is all against the spinner and captains tend not to rate them too highly and consequently do not handle them cleverly.
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