Hussey warns of Panesar's Ashes threat by CricketArchive staff reporter

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Player:	MEK Hussey, MS Panesar
Event:	England in Australia 2006/07

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DateLine: 28th November 2006

 

Mike Hussey has warned his Australian team-mates to watch out for Monty Panesar's 'Doosra' should he form a two-pronged spinning attack for England in Friday's second Ashes Test in Adelaide. England coach Duncan Fletcher said Tuesday he was considering playing both left-arm spinners, Ashley Giles and Panesar in Adelaide and if he carries that through one of the three seamers Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard or James Anderson will have to go. Hussey spent a lot of time in the nets with a young Panesar when he played three seasons county cricket for Northamptonshire from 2001, captaining the county in 2002 and 2003. England played conservatively by preferring the more experienced Giles for the first Gabba Test and he finished with one wicket for 113 runs. Panesar, the first Sikh to play Test cricket for England, is considered a more attacking bowler than Giles, and Hussey has been impressed with him. "Monty gets more overspin on the ball so he's more of an up and over bowler," Hussey told reporters in Adelaide Tuesday. "When I was playing with him at Northamptonshire he was trying to produce a 'Doosra' that can be a difficult ball to play if you get it right. Giles is more about keeping it tight and bowling into the rough and building pressure that way." Hussey, known as 'Mr Cricket' because of his boundless enthusiasm and dedication to the game, said he expects both spinners to present a challenge on the Adelaide Oval pitch, which is expected to be a flat batting strip. "Personally I'm not bothered either way. I think they can both be tough when the conditions are right," he said. Hussey, who averages 75 in Test cricket, said he batted a lot in the nets against Panesar at Northampton. "A few of my team-mates used to say we were a marriage made in heaven - he used to like to bowl all day and I used to bat all day in the nets. We used to have plenty of battles in the nets. I was really impressed because he was such a young spinner, yet he knew his game and the importance of discipline in his bowling. He had a good grasp of that from a very young age and I always thought he would get better and better tactically the more cricket he played." Panesar has taken 32 wickets in 10 Tests since he replaced an injured Giles last March. Hussey dismissed suggestions England were not as potent as when they won the Ashes last year in England. "They showed a lot of fight and a lot of spirit which is what we expect from England," said Hussey, who hit 86 in Australia's massive 602 for nine first innings. "I think it's great we played so well in this Test match but I'm expecting England to come out and play very well in Adelaide and I'm expecting a very tough Test match and so are all the guys."