improve his fitness, Patel said "I have had to accept some difficult truths ... I don't want to be in a position again where I miss out on selection because of a lack of fitness". Initially included in the 30-man preliminary squad for the 2009 ICC World Twenty20, Patel failed to make the final 15-man squad because of ongoing fitness problems. Geoff Miller commented "I'm disappointed for us and for him, but we've laid down the rules and players have to abide by them. He feels he's been putting the work and time in, but he cannot explain it – the figures are there". In September 2009, a year after he was granted an incremental contract with the ECB, Patel's England contract was not renewed for 2009–2010. He remained on the fringes of selection, however his level of fitness prevented his selection. In January 2010, Miller stated that "He knows what is required ... the ball is in his court now and he has to go away and understand what is necessary". When England's provisional 30-man squad for the 2011 World Cup was announced in December that year, Patel was included. England coach Andy Flower had commented that Patel's style of play would be well suited to the pitches in the Indian subcontinent, which was hosting the tournament, however persistent fitness problems meant he was not selected in the final squad of 15 and not called up when the squad sustained injuries. Domestic and T20 career Since making his debut for Nottinghamshire at the age of 16, Patel has featured consistently in the team, in both first-class and List A matches. He became the only man in the history of the English Twenty20 competition to claim a double-wicket-maiden, when Nottinghamshire played Derbyshire at New Road, Worcester in 2006. He scored 887 runs in the County Championship in 2007 including four centuries – he also took 10 wickets and topped the county's bowling averages. In the 2008 season, Patel made a steady start to Nottinghamshire's first-class campaign, scoring a century against Durham and three half-centuries. Nottinghamshire were runners-up to Durham in the 2009 County Championship; from 15 matches Patel scored 712 runs (the 4th most for the club that year) at an average of 30.95, with a highest score of 95. He also took 32 wickets at an average of 47.84, with two five wicket hauls. In January 2010, Patel signed