Consistent Patterson makes up for early omission

For if pace bowler Steve Patterson can repeat what he did last week against Glamorgan at Headingley and claim eight wickets in the match, not only would Yorkshire’s hopes of bouncing back into the First Division be significantly improved but Patterson would have claimed 50 wickets in this year’s competition.

Considering that he was dropped at the start of the year in one of few questionable selection decisions by the Yorkshire hierarchy, that would be a notable achievement.

Even more so when one considers the amount of bad weather that has been around this year, which has meant bowlers of all types have struggled for rhythm.

The extent of Patterson’s contribution to Yorkshire’s promotion challenge is highlighted not only by his own statistics (42 wickets at 22.28) but the fact that the next-highest wicket-taker is Ryan Sidebottom (23 at 32.78).

Last year, Sidebottom near single-handedly carried the Yorkshire attack during a season that culminated in relegation, and although Patterson has not quite ploughed the same lone furrow, his contribution speaks for itself.

Indeed, the right-armer is back to where he was two years ago when, in the words of Yorkshire captain Andrew Gale, he was “the first name on the team sheet”.

Gale trotted out the phrase again after the Glamorgan game, where Patterson’s return of 4-49 in the first innings and 4-47 in the second played a key part in an eight-wicket win.

The man himself shrugs off such praise with typical modesty but admits that he has benefited from added security.

“When you know that you’re going to play it gives you that extra boost in confidence and you can just concentrate on your cricket and not worry about anything else,” he said.

“It’s been a good year for me so far and very enjoyable.

“I’m pleased to have been able to make a contribution.”

When pressed – for he is not the type of character to volunteer the information – Patterson admits that he has never bowled better than he has this summer.

In 2010, he caught the eye with 45 wickets at 26.68 as Yorkshire finished third in Division One, but his performances this year have raised the bar.

“I think this season is the best I’ve bowled,” he conceded.

“I know I had quite a decent year two years ago but I still think, looking back, that there were areas I could have been better at.

“I think, this year, I’ve probably been at my best and my challenge now is to maintain that form going forward.

“I didn’t do as well last season, so I need to keep going forward now and do it year after year.”

With Sidebottom 34 and naturally more prone to injury, there has been an increasing onus on Patterson to perform.

There is not too much back-up in Yorkshire’s pace ranks and the club have been indebted to a man Gale also calls “Mr Consistent”, a phrase that perhaps best sums up the Beverley-born bowler.

“Consistency is all it is really,” said Patterson. “I’ve just tried to be consistent in hitting my areas because, if you can do that 95 per cent of the time, you give yourself the best chance of wickets.

“You have to be patient and keep trying to hammer away on a good line and length. I’d like to think that I’ve done that more consistently this year than ever before.”

At 28, Patterson is coming to his peak and benefiting from greater exposure to the first-class game.

Although he seems to have been around for some time, he has only played 55 first-class matches.

“I think it takes two or three years of playing regularly to really understand your game and what you need to do,” he added. “Over the last couple of years I think I’ve learned that, and although it has maybe taken me longer to learn than others, I am old enough and also mature enough now to know a bit more about what I am supposed to be doing.”

Now Patterson is hoping to end the season on a high as Yorkshire look to clinch promotion.

“The way we see it, we’ve been in form all summer but the weather hasn’t helped us at times,” he said. “We always knew that if we had good weather against Glamorgan we would beat them, and we got the weather and won inside three days. If we play the cricket this week that we’ve played all year, there’s no reason at all why we can’t get promoted.”

England’s second NatWest International Twenty20 against South Africa was abandoned after the weather allowed only one short, frantic session at Old Trafford.

England were 29-2 after 4.1 overs of their reply to South Africa’s 77-5 in a match reduced to nine overs per side when steady rain began to fall.

A result would have been recorded had another five balls been bowled – and England would have won had they added another 13 – but South Africa will still lead the series 1-0 heading to the third match at Edgbaston.