Jeetan Patel in the field during an ODI cricket match. Photo /PHOTOSPORT
The international surprises keep coming for Jeetan Patel this year.
Once seemingly destined to play out his career at Wellington and English county Warwickshire, the 36-year-old has had two call-ups for New Zealand in the space of three months.
He will join - and presumably play for - the Black
Caps in the final one-day international against Bangladesh on New Year's Eve.
Patel was also selected for the final two tests of the Indian series in October.
The idea is with Bangladesh's top five comprising three left-handers, Patel will turn the ball away from them on a wearing Saxton Oval pitch.
The decision was expedited by captain Kane Williamson's success taking three for 22 from five overs with his off spin. That spell effectively turned the game and the series. He also dismissed the world's No.1 ODI all-rounder - and left-hander - Shakib Al Hasan, albeit with a shorter delivery that found Neil Broom's hands at short third man but could just as easily have hit the boundary hoardings.
Coach Mike Hesson said Patel's call-up was a product of the environment.
"With the slow nature of the Saxton Oval surface, and the number of left handers in the Bangladesh line-up, we feel Jeetan will be a good option.
Patel will join the side today after completed a convoluted flight plan from Hamilton where he was due to play for Wellington against Northern Districts.
He has taken six wickets at an average of 38, strike rate of 30 and economy rate of 7.51 in the McDonald's T20 Super Smash this season.
Patel excelled in the Royal London One-Day Cup in England taking 22 wickets to be second on the charts. He averaged 20.31 from 10 matches with a strike rate of 25 and economy rate of 4.84.
Notably, he took two for 28 from nine overs to see Warwickshire crowned champions in the final against Surrey.
Tim Southee could see the selection logic.
"It's a used wicket; it got slow towards the end [of the second one-dayer]; they have all those left-handers; and we saw what Kane did."
