Patel comes out swinging against champions Warwickshire

Patel averages just 24.50 in first class cricket but showed his potential by batting with verve to race to a 56-ball half-century after Surrey won the toss and chose to bat.

The 24-year-old struck 75 (107 balls) in an opening stand of 117 with Rory Burns before Warwickshire hit back among a series of rain breaks. Burns (41, 77 balls) and Patel fell within four balls of each other, albeit two hours apart either side of a heavy downpour.

Ollie Pope then moved sweetly to an unbeaten 40 (46 balls) in the last session of a day which brought the shivering crowd just 45.5 overs.

On a staccato day, with a bitterly cold wind blowing, it was a bracing opening to their title defence for Warwickshire who were missing their three most potent fast bowlers. Already without England pair Chris Woakes (unavailable) and Olly Stone (long-term injury) they are also without last year’s talisman Liam Norwell due to a back spasm.

After Surrey captain Burns called correctly, he was soon watching approvingly from the other end as Patel sped to his half century with five fours and two sixes. The 100 came up in the 22nd over and when the visitors reached the last ball before lunch on 117 without loss, their day was advancing perfectly to plan.

But Burns then lifted that ball back to bowler Danny Briggs and when play finally resumed in the afternoon, Patel flashed at the fourth ball, a wide offering from Olly Hannon-Dalby, and nicked it to wicketkeeper Michael Burgess.

Hashim Alma’s uncomfortable 23-ball stay for two runs was ended when Hannon-Dalby shattered his stumps but, from 126 for three, Surrey were stabilised again by Pope who took advantage of some ill-directed bowling to hit eight fours.

Warwickshire are without new signing Alex Davies whose debut is delayed by a one-match suspension for historical social media posts. Seam bowler Henry Brookes is recalled for his first championship game since September 2019.

Surrey are without the Curran brothers, both on their way back from back injuries, but are otherwise at full strength.