Patel ton secures draw for Notts

Samit Patel jumps for joy after reaching his hundred

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An accomplished century from Samit Patel rescued a draw for LV County Championship leaders Nottinghamshire and denied Surrey their first win of the season.

Patel came to the wicket with Notts still 56 behind following on but showed few nerves and plenty of class in a chanceless innings of 134 not out.

The talented 23-year-old, who was recently named in England’s preliminary squad for the ICC Champions Trophy, stroked 20 fours off 158 balls and shared an unbeaten partnership of 165 for the seventh wicket with Graeme Swann (68 not out).

The result meant Notts clung on to top spot in Division One by a single point from Lancashire, while Surrey remain in the relegation zone.

Patel was one of a number of batsmen who had thrown their wicket away in the first innings but applied himself diligently second time around and was rewarded with the first hundred by a specialist Notts batsman since September 2007.

The hosts resumed their second innings on 46 for two, still 139 runs behind, but nightwatchman Andre Adams’ aggressive approach at the start of the day succeeded in removing some of the close fielders around the bat.

While his partner Matt Wood produced some careful defensive shots, Adams thumped six fours and two successive sixes off Saqlain Mushtaq to reach 50 off just 47 balls.

Wood was caught behind off Chris Jordan soon after and the scoring rate slowed before lunch as Adams and new batsman Adam Voges attempted to see out the bowling until the interval.

Seamer Matthew Nicholson ended that plan by yorking Adams for 58 to bring Patel to the crease but the right-hander seemed untroubled on what was still a good pitch for batting.

Voges looked in similar good touch but perished for 35 with a loose drive to Jade Dernbach - the eighth time in 14 Championship innings the Australian has passed 30 without going on to a substantial score.

It was also notable for being wicketkeeper Jon Batty’s 500th first-class dismissal but he was not required to help Pedro Collins with the next wicket, as the West Indian removed Chris Read’s middle stump to leave Notts wobbling on 207 for six, only 22 ahead with a session and a half still to play.

But Patel and Swann saw off the danger with increasing confidence, as both batsmen widened their range of shots in an entertaining final hour before the players shook hands after 76 overs of play.