As Samit Patel limbers-up for the 20th T20 campaign of his Notts Outlaws career, the green and gold stalwart has reflected with irony upon his ignominious beginnings in the format.
The all-rounder, who is one of only five participants in the tournament’s inaugural year in 2003 who are still playing, will feature for the Green and Golds in their tournament opener against Worcestershire Rapids on Friday (6.30pm) at Trent Bridge. As the two-decade landmark approaches, the 37-year-old has comically recalled how the first time he bowled in the format didn’t exactly go to plan.
“The first ball was a no-ball and got hit for six,” he recalls, ruefully. “The second one went for six too. So, I had gone for 14 from one ball. It didn’t go down too well. I was still at school and it was on Sky, so everyone was watching - and that happened! On the basis of that, who would have thought I’d still be playing now?”
