Tweaking it

Monty Panesar's book may have been a snore, but the Nutley is abuzz with the England spinner's line this week on his former boss...

“Spin was not his speciality” - Monty Panesar joins the criticism of former England cricket coach Duncan Fletcher.

In safe hands

I don't know anything about this myself but Monty Panesar is appearing on a Cricket World live webchat tomorrow/Tuesday at 12:10pm GMT.

Click here for the link.

Monty will be live with Dean Hurlock, who works for the Foreign Commonwealth Office, and the duo are set to give safety advice for those Brits/foreigners travelling to the World Cup.

Perth produces pearler

My hotel tagline glares "Extraordinary, every day" on its website and England were going to have to produce that before day one in Perth, at least to be in with a shout of this spiralling-out-of-control Ashes series.

So what a day of Test cricket - the second in a row for the neutral fan which also saw Billy the Trumpet Man back, licking his lips by the the fifth over of the morning. It wasn't a bad toss to lose for Freddie as Australia's batsmen fell three down at lunch before Michael Hussey's partners just forgot how to form a partnership.

It's taken two Tests in waiting but it seems something always happens when Monty's in your side. Few spin bowlers seem to have that extra zest but he's got it alright and a third five-wicket haul in Test cricket, coupled with Steve Harmison's straightness left Australia all-out on day one.

But how the last hour was agony to watch for the English fan. I wondered if Hussey was given orders to let the lower-order face the bowling so they in-turn could get 15-odd overs at the English. It worked and the way the ball hit the deck was probably testament to how the WACA of old used to play.

I imagined then the days of Lillee and Thomson running in during the Seventies with a raucous crowd behind them. The fans today at least soaked up the atmosphere and there was a comical moment on the Hill to show for it: first a scuffle broke out; then an Aussie girl's boyfriend was taken away; huge cheers when he came back in; two minutes later the girlfriend was escorted out. Like that lovers' tiff, it's anyone's guess as to how this Test will play out.

**There's another Ashes podcast up at Nobok Sports. Listen to it here. Find the Monty scan at the After Grog Blog.

Fletch, Monty's waiting in the wings

'BORE DRAW' screamed the Adelaide Advertiser this morning. Yeah right I thought. With England one wicket down, however, and a full day to play, there was still the uncertainty that Shane Warne could do the damage and add another chapter to the one already filed under England's Ashes: Misery and Failures. Today, it took a bad umpire's decision and a run-out, but that's all a team needs - especially England in recent years - to somehow wilt under last day pressure.

If England had held out for a draw with Australia, say, seven or eight down, there might have been reason to keep Ashley Giles. As it is, Duncan Fletcher has to play Monty Panesar in Perth after this disaster. He will be cradled by the cheering Barmy Army support there, whatever the Aussie crowd does to put him off - but at least he'll be match fit.

Will this be the change to at least put England back to winning ways? Victory in Perth would still keep the Ashes alive. However, after the tourists defeat today, let's not think about the (flat, run-fest, draw kind of a) WACA pitch just yet. Extraordinary game though, albeit one that has probably damaged the exciting undertones this series was first viewed.

The art of spin

There aren't many sequels better than the original film, but then this is a cricket blog.

England's cricketers leave for Australia tomorrow and, if the Ashes does turn out to be better than last summer, then what price, I wonder, will be paid by the Royal Academy of Arts for a 'Monty' in future years?

Nutley's next competiton involves the picture I miraculously created on the right using this great link.

All you have to do is upload an image, or create your own photoshop one, to the museum canvass and the best 'work of art' will win prizes equal to the ones currently on offer in our picture caption competition as well. You can start emailing in your work now.

Win! Win! Win!

THIS COMPETITION HAS NOW CLOSED. WINNER TO BE NAMED SHORTLY.
It's not long now until Monty Panesar picks his wits against Australia's batsmen and, more importantly, how he holds up in front of the baying crowds from the five Test venues.

With the first Test starting on 23 November, Nutley is giving one lucky reader the chance to win a superb selection of cricket prizes.

Bombay Brownwash DVD - England's 1993 tour to India
A signed Graham Gooch Ashes 2005 shirt
A signed mini-bat with Courtney Walsh, Gary Kirsten, Colin Croft
A Barmy DVD of England's 2005 tour to Pakistan

What is either Duncan Fletcher or Monty saying in the above photo?
Email your best answer and address to: nutleycomps@yahoo.co.uk
The closing date is 30 November and enter as many times as you like.

Spinner's delight

Jim Laker's heroic 19-90 effort in the fourth Ashes Test was celebrated 50 years ago this week. The Lord's Taverners will also hold a special dinner on 18 September at the Savoy Hotel in London to commemorate Laker's feats - he had taken 20 wickets in the three previous games as well - and will be attended by some of the best spinners the world has seen.

The organisers have invited five of the six surviving Aussies who featured in Laker's Old Trafford match, while Shane Warne, Richie Benaud and Derek Underwood will also make appearances.

With Monty Panesar currently jumping for joy with England and Murali on the road to 700 wickets (what's to say he can't reach 1000), spinners are finally being recognised - the dinner a prelude to what could be a spinners' battle in the Ashes two months later.

Monty's specs

One of the themes of the summer so far has been Monty Panesar's hapless fielding. The England spinner has been cheered and jeered in equal measure for his unerring ability to fumble the ball every time it heads in his direction.

But those who delight in Panesar's problems may soon be forced to look elsewhere for amusement - because the spinner's Northants physio Barry Goudriaan reckons he has found the solution.

No, not 24-hour fielding practice - Goudriaan reckons the problem was simply that Panesar was wearing the wrong contact lenses. He was issued with a new prescription after the Lord's Test and now, three weeks later, his eyes should be fully adjusted to the change of lens.

Nobok is keeping a close eye on Panesar to see whether the new lenses really do the trick. He did ok on the rare occasions he was needed in the first session of the day, but we'll keep you updated on whether this was a flash in the pan or not...

Kabaddi memories

15 years ago there was a popular Asian sport on British television.

Slotted in next to Transworld Sport on Saturday morning's in the UK, Kabaddi took the nation by storm for a year or so before being unexplainably taken away.

There were teams such as the West Bengal Police Force playing a game similar to 'tag' and it featured a small playing area with teams of five in each half, with the aim that one player would attempt to touch as many opponents as possible, by venturing into their half and returning without being caught. The only catch was to hold your breath for as long as possible while saying 'Kabaddi'. A game of strength, speed, agility, lungpower and tactics - I loved it.

According to the Nagpur District website, Kabaddi and Akhada (Indian wrestling) play a traditional village life with many sport meetings held in the wrestling pits around the city 'sometimes ending in disturbance'.

I couldn't find any sign of these two sports during my stay, while journalists said Kabaddi was rarely played in schools these days and Akhada was now consigned to local gyms.

However, both sports still feature at the Asian games and at National level, so much so that wrestling hit front page news here last month when a woman junior gold medalist took on a 14-year-old wrestler with the frightening name of Babloo Yadav.

It was the main attraction at the All India Wrestling Championships while the organiser allayed any fears of shady activity by stating there would be "no fixing and the match will be played with true spirit".

Watched by thousands, the boy prevailed in a tough 25-minute encounter but the girl was hailed for her efforts; the locals here will be doing the same to Monty Panesar on Thursday whatever his figures.