THIRD TEST, DAY ONE

E-mail this Article

Print this Article

Subscribe to RSS Feed

Panesar: Delivered the goods

1145: A feeling of dread swept through my bones when my Mrs came out of the bathroom this morning and said Radio One had reported England were 140-4 in the third Test. I'd pretty much stayed up through the night for the first two Tests but just couldn't bring myself to do it again after the Adelaide capitulation. So you'll imagine my glee after trudging downstairs and flicking on Sky Sports - just in time to see Monty get a rampant Andrew Symonds out. Radio One's main sports guy is Chappers so I guess I should have known not to trust them - but the next three hours were just magic as Monty spun his web and Fletcher looked on grimly from the dressing room.

Beefy has jumped to the front of the queue of media know-it-alls lining up to say 'I told you so' over the Monty v King of Spain debate. But quite frankly I don't care now, as the fact Panesar was overlooked is in the past. What we should focus on is the fact that we now have a starting XI that should represent England for the next five years - something the Aussies do not have.

There's a long way to go in this series but if we can look at the bigger picture, this group of players should be picked by the selectors - barring injuries - from now on, meaning that even if we give the little urn back this time around, they'll be red-hot favourites to wrestle it back in the summer Ashes battle of 2009.

The only quibble in the first XI is whether Chris Read ousts Geraint Jones, but Jones has the gloves at the moment and should be given this series to prove his worth - if he doesn't deliver runs, Read should be top man as his superior ability behind the stumps will come to the fore as Monty gets better and better. I think it's fair to say the likes of Hayden, Langer, Gilchrist, McGrath and Warne will not be playing in the 2009 series - and Ponting, Hussey, Lee and Stuart Clark are no spring chickens either.

Looking at England you'd say their best years are to come, and although I've always had my doubts about Mahmood, he has the talent to progress into a fine front-line bowler in the Test arena.

It is highly doubtful Marcus Trescothick will ever again be the world-class international player we've seen over the last five years - and Michael Vaughan's constant injury problems are not helped by his age. Even if Vaughan achieves full fitness, it's up to Cook, Collingwood and Bell to keep him out of the side, and although Cook has yet to really prove himself against the Aussies, we must be patient with him as he has all the required skills and a fine temperament.

In conclusion, it's been a great day for England in the field and let's hope we can rack up a decent first-innings lead and get back in the series. But even if we don't, let's hope Fletcher and co realise they have finally stumbled upon the right formula for future success. Simon Wilkes

0725: Great stuff from Panesar, but Geraint Jones is a very lucky boy after coming dangerously close to dropping a very easy catch. He stands so far back when Panesar's bowling he'll need two trains and a bus to complete a stumping, but he held on and Monty is the undoubted star of the show. Fair play to Ashley Giles, who seems to be taking it all in good heart on the sidelines. DT

0500: Great scenes. It's just as well for Monty that the wicket of Langer heralded a slightly early lunch. He must have needed the 40 minutes to recover from his celebrations. Still, he's offered more threat in seven balls than Giles did in two Tests. England have had a great first session. Now they need to make sure they don't let Australia off the hook. A middle order of Clarke, Symonds, Gilchrist doesn't look the most impenetrable if England bowl well this afternoon. DT

0204: England finally seem to have picked their strongest XI, or at the least their strongest bowling attack having sportingly given Australia a two-match start. That's one way of making the series interesting.
All logic suggests England have no chance of getting back into the series, but we are living in a world where Charlotte Church can win a British Comedy Award, so anything is possible.
There should be something there for the England bowlers first thing, but let's be honest abou this. We're all just waiting for Monty's first piece of comedy fielding. Dave Tickner