Cricinfo - Blogs - Eye on the Ashes - Sikh and ye shall find

The wicket-taking party is cricket’s version of the rave: lots of unrestrained and frenetic activity in which it is hard to completely join. What happens on the other side of the boundary is connected in the event but not in the spirit. Panesar somehow unites the two occasions, behaving as we perhaps might ourselves. No sooner had he taken his first wicket on the first day than the Barmy Army was indulging in its choreographed ‘Monty Dance’, involving a lot of leaping and high-fiving. They kept it up – like most things they do – all day and with blissful abandon.

Panesar’s priceless quality, in a cricket world full of ‘going to work’ and ‘hard days at the office’, is innocence. He gives as dull a press conference as anyone – they’re always coming out well, but they have to land in the right areas – but on the field hides nothing. A couple of months ago, Graeme Smith warned that Panesar would face ‘an unbelievable amount of abuse’ from Australian crowds, some of which might be racist. It provided a headline for a day, but always seemed more a reflection of Smith’s flair for provocation than anything else. He was welcomed to the wicket today with a universal cheer, redoubled when he connected solidly with his first defensive shot. After his full-blooded sweep for four from Warne, the roar shook the temporary seating. After his straight-driven boundary from Clark, one half expected swooning females to shower the field in panties.

Likewise the lamentations and jeremiads about Panesar’s capture by English celebrity culture – as well meant as they might be – seem premature. In his book Late Innings (1982), the New Yorker’s baseball writer Roger Angell committed to print some sentiments that are worth calling to mind, from time to time, in the context of modern professional sport: ‘It is true that the smallest flutter of a spontaneous incident – in sports, or anywhere else in public life in this country – is now seized upon and transformed at once into a mass-produced imitation or a slogan or an advertising gimmick…It is dispiriting but we can’t let ourselves miss the moment of humour and exultation when it does come along, or deny its pleasure.’

Thank you Gideon Haigh for the most moving but vivid description of what an innocent man unreasonably held back for at least one of the first two Tests did at the WACA when he got the chance. And the roar which as you say, shook the stands is the clearest indication that Australia is well and kicking, in fact "she'll be right mate" despite a lot of bunk thrown at it by sensationalists all over, drumming up racist themes. Panesar was delightful, he was fresh, he was infectious, and the crowd warmed to him. None of that stuff that Smith warned everyone about as you say, but then let's be charitable - Smith is such a boring codger - first as a bat and then as a skipper - what more would you expect? And in case you are surprised where these comments come from, it is from Sri Lanka, where everyone is supposedly anti-Ozm but isnt! Lovely piece Gideon, keep up the good work!

Amazing. England make the same mistake as Australia in 2005 by refuse to bring in the players who subsequently prove that they could have made all the difference. 2005 - Australia struggled by including Katich and Gillespie instead of taking Hussey and Clark. England return the compliment and go one better by TAKING yet not PLAYING Panesar. Oh, and not to mention sticking with "Duck with a Bat and Goose with the Gloves" Geraint Jones. Such costly mistakes luckily didn't end Buchanan's career. But, two games and two losses in, I can't see that Fletcher is as safe.

It's great to see Monty out there at last. Anyone who has such an enthusiasm for the game can only be a boost to their team. My only hope is that he's allowed to grow - sure, he had a great first innings on what's supposed to be one of the world's worst places for spinners, and finger spinners in particular (although looking back through the stats shows that's not always true). But that's one innings. He had an excellent English Summer. But an excellent first season doesn't always equate to an excellent career, and I believe he's too young to rate yet. Fletcher called him the best at his game - has Fletcher forgotten the brilliant Vettori (No, I'm not a Kiwi, I'm an Aussie)? I just hope that England have patience with him - he's young. Vettori shows that left arm orthodox is still an excellent bowling option, but there are plenty out there who've been developed into one day run-stoppers, not test match thinkers. Hopefully Monty will be able to develop into the test match tactitian they need, and will be listed with those of England's tradition - Tuffnell (sic), Underwood, etc...

Graeme smith could not have been further from the truth. sure yesterday there where a few comments concerning who was watching monty's deli for the day but that was as far as it went. Aussie and pom alike cheered when monty was called in to ball. most aussies where so engrossed in what the new guy that they had heard so much about, was goin to produce on the cricket field.
And he delivered. the roar when monty bowled langer was of the poms cheering and the aussies realing. But it is safe to say that both parties where pleased to finally have a contest, which was lacking with the presents of giles. An entertainer is always accepted in australia not matter what nationallity. Monty is certainly that, mabye graeme smith should think about why he is the target of rare racial taunts.

Yes what were England thinking playing Giles ahead of Panesar in the first two tests. Their lame excuse for picking Giles ahead of Monty was that he bats better, yet Monty came out today and batted like Brian Lara and Giles couldn't score a run.

As for Monty's bowling, he is genuinely exciting to watch, just like Warnie is. As with Warnie, Monty is always expecting to take wickets and as a result he makes you want to watch the game as you just expect someting to happen. When Giles came on to bowl you may as well of just turned the TV off and gone to watch the paint dry for a few hours as that would have offered more excitement than his dull left arm trundlers.

I agree that Graeme Smith got it wrong about Monty copping abuse from Aussie crowds. Monty is a great character and Aussie crowds always love a character, even if he is a POM. Monty is now following in the footsteps of some great English characters that have toured here in recent years such as Gough, Tufnell, Ronnie Irani etc. Sure these guys all copped a bit of stick from the crowd but it was almost always good natured. The reason for this is that the Aussie crowds appreciated the entertaining way they played the game and their sense of humour.

Smith should realise that the South Africans cop abuse from Aussie crowds because, apart from Andre Nel, they don't have any characters and are boring, humourless & arrogant like he is.

I think one of the most encouraging things from the first two days was to see Monty involved in the highest partnership of England's innings and then being not out at the end of the day. He showed everyone he's not the mug he's made out to be, and in a few years his batting could really develop into something really reliable. I think Saj is a bit over-rated from what I saw this test. 7 overs in the first innings and only 2 so far in the second where he clearly was struggling, though he did show glimpes of his batting ability. And Jones yet again falied miserably with the bat, his apparent stronger suit. Overall, the Aussies fought into the leading position yet again by the end of the day and I just hope England find something in the first half hour tomorrow to continue the great contest.

Monty's infectious enthusiasm is great for the game, and he is a genuine attacking option for the English, which was why so many of us Pommies held our heads in horror when we heard the team for the first test - at that point I knew we would surrender the Ashes. The reason we beat your lads last time was because we took you on (not something many players and teams even attempt), played with a smile on our faces (you don't see Freddie smiling much nowadays) and stood toe to toe with your big guns. Sadly, I think we'll all have to wait another few years for a cracking Ashes series.

FOR IMMEDIATE SALE

- Open topped tour bus (ideal for hubristic "Victory Parade" or similar)
- Four-hour booking of Trafalgar Square (booked months ago, now not required)
- 2 tonnes of confetti (used once only)
- 10,000 copies of CD recording of 'Jerusalem' sang by English cricket team (need to offload ASAP; make good coasters)
- Autobiography book deal "How Good Am I??" with top London publisher (no longer required)
- 40,000 miniature Union Jack flags (pre-ordered, now no takers)
- Box full of MBEs, OBEs and other miscellaneous gongs (can't find anyone to pin them on)
- Trophy cabinet (empty, used for only 14 months and won't be needed again)
- Smug, self-satisfied smirk (recently wiped off)
- Weekend for 2 at the exclusive 'Marcus Trescothick Private Retreat and Health Spa' (absolute seclusion guaranteed)

Everything must go!!

All serious offers considered!!

Enquiries to:

Mr F Flintoff
England & Wales Cricket Board
Lord's
London

One innings doesn't make or break a career. Monty needs to take heart and keep at it. I hope he doesn't fall for the praises. The promise seems to more concrete than before..but the hardwork is ahead.

Greame Smith pickers.. leave him alone. He's got a big mouth, but that doesn't discount what was dished out.. no excuses for something that is unacceptable. I have lived in the ozzie land and know that it is true. Not the majority, but racism is well and kicking. So button up and get the minority unruly idiots in the crowd identified and kicked out of the game...then we can talk.

As always very entertaining to read your stories Gideon. As for Monty, wonderful to see him in the series and doing a great job. It's so nice to see a real character on the field that is loving every minute of it and giving the crowd something to enjoy as much as he is also obviously enjoying it. Makes a refreshing change from the seemingly factory made, boring yet efficient, cricketers of today. I think Monty personifies all that is great about cricket, probably not so long ago you could imagine him as the guy that was picked on in the school playground now headed for cult status and breathing some life into the England team though probably a tad late.

His appealing is worse than Warney? Please! Monster almost apologised for an appeal yesterday, and had bowled two more balls before Warney would have been back to his mark. If Warney carries on with his appealing today the way he has in recent second innings, ie:bowling 47 overs for less or equal amount of wickets than has been taken at the other end, and he still finishes with 100% of his match fee, questions need to be asked (particularly by Brett Lee).
Onto Monty Monster. What a legend. About the only bowler who seemed keen to bowl to Gilchrist yesterday, despite being done for 24 runs in an over by him.
And 'G'. Dead right about the unruly minority who have a deluded belief that they are acting for the majority and everyone wants to hear want they have to ramble on about (sounds like me in a forum or a blog) in between the occasional alcohol fuelled vomit. On the specific incident in Perth last year though, wasn't there but I still reckon that had to be an ex-pat South African as I doubt the average drunken yobbo would even know what some of those terms meant. No doubt the drunken yobbos got a few in later in the tour though.

Of course they were South Africans. WA has a huge number of SA expats (many tens of thousands) and most Australians don't speak Afrikaans.

And it's no secret what the biggest reason is that a lot of them are emigrating to Australia. South Africa has huge problems with race relations and the fact that Australia seems to accept people trying to escape it offends Graham Smith for some reason.

It's not Australia's fault that South Africa is a basket case country, no matter how much Graham Smith would like to think it is.