Former Ashes hero's stinging take on Aussies

2 years ago 320

Former England rotation bowler Monty Panesar claims the Australian cricket squad has mislaid the aura and intimidation it was erstwhile celebrated for.

Panesar played six Ashes Tests during his vocation and 5 of those were successful hostile territory Down Under.

"When I played successful 2006 and I would vessel to (Matthew) Hayden and (Adam) Gilchrist - each of these players - they would look astatine you like, 'what are you doing connected the aforesaid tract arsenic me? You're not arsenic bully arsenic me'," Panesar told ABC radio.

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"That is what the Australian broadside was like. I don't deliberation this (current) squad has the aforesaid consciousness astir it."

In 2018, Cricket Australia acceptable astir changing the cognition of its men's nationalist squad pursuing the infamous Cape Town shot tampering scandal.

Since replacing Darren Lehmann with Justin Langer arsenic manager of the team, Australia has made a concerted effort to beryllium much affable and little overtly assertive and hostile portion competing. Most precocious the nationalist squad won the Twenty20 World Cup, beating the archetypal bully guys - New Zealand - successful a tourney last that featured lukewarm interplay betwixt the 2 sides, contempt the precocious stakes.

James Anderson and Monty Panesar playing against Australia successful 2009. (Getty)

In a abstracted file for the UK Telegraph, though, Panesar warned England's existent players to expect plentifulness of occurrence from the Aussie crowds during the tour, which starts astatine the Gabba connected Wednesday.

"Australia is simply a hostile environment. The weather, the wildlife and - yes - the cricket fans are each retired to get you, oregon astatine slightest that's however it tin feel," Panesar wrote.

"In presumption of the supporters, they crank up the unit and support going until you crack. If you complain, they'll say, 'sorry, mate, it was lone a joke'. If you combat back, it volition be, 'gosh, you went a spot far, mate'.

"It's each hard but just until the infinitesimal you react."

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VAUGHAN'S CAPTAINCY CALL

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan says the 2 opposing skippers volition determine the destiny of this Ashes series.

Joe Root has been starring the Poms for years, but Pat Cummins volition beryllium captaining Australia for the archetypal clip astatine the Gabba connected Wednesday.

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Vaughan says Root has the accidental to asseverate aboriginal dominance implicit his rival and acceptable the code for the series.

"Joe has to beryllium positive. He has a large accidental to nullify Cummins and acceptable an example," Vaughan wrote for the UK Telegraph.

"He could instrumentality Cummins into his 3rd oregon 4th spell. Joe, with his batting, tin marque Cummins question himself: erstwhile bash I bowl, what extremity bash I vessel from, americium I bowling myself excessively overmuch oregon not enough? It volition beryllium fascinating to spot if Cummins relaxes into the job.

"Because (Cummins) is specified a superb cricketer we hide that taking connected the captaincy changes beingness for him. Walking into that dressing country arsenic skipper is different. You are not 1 of the lads anymore. You person to change.

"Root has been determination earlier arsenic captain. He knows what to expect. Cummins does not cognize yet whether helium tin grip playing and leadership."

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WHY ENGLAND WILL RELISH THE RAIN

Former Ashes paceman Steve Harmison says the bedewed upwind lashing Australia's eastbound seashore volition play into the hands of the tourists.

Rain has perpetually interrupted preparations for some camps successful southbound eastbound Queensland, and it's looking apt the archetypal Test volition beryllium impacted, too.

"England volition beryllium licking their lips astatine immoderate motion of greenness if the atrocious upwind persists. It's not excessively dissimilar to England astatine this infinitesimal successful time, and that plays into our hands," Harmison said.

"If determination is unreality screen successful Brisbane oregon lateral question successful the surface, England person the 2 top bowlers of each clip to exploit those conditions successful (James) Anderson and (Stuart) Broad, on with Chris Woakes.

"If the archetypal 2 pitches play much similar English wickets and Joe Root wins the archetypal mates of tosses, I genuinely judge we tin marque immoderate aboriginal inroads and get connected apical rapidly successful the series."

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