Former Nottinghamshire allrounder Samit Patel signs two-year contract with Derbyshire

Patel, the leading appearance-maker in the T20 Blast, has been signed primarily for his white-ball skills but will be available in the County Championship if required

Former Nottinghamshire allrounder Samit Patel has signed a two-year contract with Derbyshire.

He was released by Nottinghamshire at the end of the 2023 season after more than two decades of service but he had no plans to retire, telling The Cricketer earlier this year: "Until I can't do a job for a team, I won't finish playing. If I'm still bowling well and batting well, then I won't finish."

Patel is the leading appearance-maker in the T20 Blast, scoring 4,217 runs and taking 208 wickets – second only to Danny Briggs – in 232 matches, and lifted two titles (22017 and 2020) during his time at Trent Bridge.

In 2023, he scored 136 runs and took 11 wickets in 12 Blast appearances.

^{Patel was a two-time Blast winner with Nottinghamshire [Dan Mullan/Getty Images]}

^{Patel hasn't played first-class cricket since 2020 but will be available for Derbyshire if needed [David Rogers/Getty Images]}

Though he hasn't played first-class cricket since September 2020, Patel, who will be 39 at the start of the 2024 campaign, will be available in all formats for Derbyshire.

Patel said: "I've spent many years playing against Derbyshire and in the last couple of seasons, you can really see what Mickey is trying to do with the club. I think I can come in and help with that.

"I'm a proud professional, I'm someone who wants to win and I wouldn't have come to Derbyshire at this stage in my career if I didn't think we could do something special."

Mickey Arthur added: "Samit is one of the most decorated players in England and he's a proven match-winner. He's a winner and that’s exactly the mentality we want to bring into our dressing room.

"The experience he will bring, not just from his long career, but from those big games he's played in and made a difference in, will be a huge asset for us primarily in the Blast but also when needed as another option in the County Championship."