da lvbet： Munaf Patel vows to work hard despite missing on selection for the Nagpur Test
Jamie Alter in Vadodara25-Feb-2006
Munaf Patel attributes his success to his stint at the MRF Pace Foundation © AFP
Munaf Patel, star of the Indian Board President’s XI eight-wicket win overEngland today, says that he wants to keep his role simple.”My job is to bowl, that’s it,” he told reporters here. “Wickets willcome, but I have to remain disciplined in whatever I do. It’s nice to havedone well here, yes, but I have to look ahead. Simple as that.”Munaf’s spell of 5 for 32 was responsible for England’s final-daycapitulation. His match figures of 10 for 91, including a hostile 5 for 59on the first day, sent a fine reminder to the Indian selectors. “It’s thefirst time I’ve gotten ten wickets, which is a very good feeling,” hesaid. “The most satisfying was (Andrew) Flintoff’s wicket. It gave megreat satisfaction.”Munaf was also keen to cite the guiding hand of Dennis Lillee, his coachat the MRF Pace Academy in Chennai. “Dennis Lillee has always told me tomaintain a good line and length, and that’s what I tried to do today,” hesaid. “He also told me to work on my fitness, so that’s what I’ve done aswell. It’s that which got me good wickets here. I value his advice a lot.”Questioned as to how significant his move from the Bombay team toMaharashtra has been, Munaf said his role remained the same, no matterwhere his loyalties lie. “The team still remains a team,” he pointed out. “Andthe Ranji Trophy still remains the same competition. My role is to bowl.Yes, I have a good coach in Chandrakant Pandit and Darren Holder, but myrole as a bowler is simply to take wickets.”Munaf, with 34 wickets this Ranji season, was overlooked for India’s15-man squad for the first Test against England, but vowed that we wouldcontinue to “work hard” and see where his efforts take him.