If you had to choose one moment when Surrey's Championship-winning season of 2018 caught fire, it might be a June afternoon in Guildford when Ryan Patel, who had previously taken only two first-class wickets in seven matches, shook the then leaders Somerset with five wickets in 11 balls, swinging the ball lavishly as he returned 6 for 5 in only 3.5 overs in one of the most remarkable interventions ever seen at Woodbridge Road. Patel's incredible sequence caused Somerset to follow-on, the match was lost and Surrey never looked back.

Patel, a medium-paced swing bowler and left-handed batsman, nevertheless had a tough challenge to break into a young Surrey side rich in talent: although he played in nine matches he only took a total of eight wickets in 87.1 overs. He is a Surrey Academy graduate who has been in the system since the age of eight. He won a place in Surrey's Championship side in late 2017 and opened the batting on his first-class debut in a derby against Middlesex - a game where Surrey created history by becoming the first county side since World War 2 to field four teenagers, Patel included, in a Championship game. Most impressive was his 81 to secure a draw against Hampshire on a testing pitch at the Ageas Bowl.

He was again a Championship regular in 2019, though his contributions were limited other than his maiden first-class ton in a high-scoring draw against Essex at the start of the season, while he also made List A and T20 debuts.
ESPNcricinfo staff