 Patel joined Staffordshire County Cricket Club for the 1988 season, and enjoyed reasonable success.He remained with them until 1990, though he played only one game that last year then in 1992 he moved to Herefordshire County Cricket Club as well as being picked for an England Amateur XI team that played two games against Ireland and Scotland.He played no games for Herefordshire County Cricket Clube in 1993 due to a career threatening back problem and then returned in 1994 and went on to represent Herefordshire County Cricket Club until 2011.