Bumble praises Monty Panesar and says England will need him to fire on the turning Sri Lanka pitches.
Monty Panesar will be vital for England in Sri Lanka.
I think Panesar is doing just fine in an England shirt. In fact, I think he's been absolutely brilliant. I have no problem at all with the way that he has been bowling of late and I wouldn't like to leave him out of the team, that's for sure.
He's one of the first on the team sheet for me in Test cricket, although maybe not so in one-day cricket. He's got a fantastic Test record and is as good a left arm spinner as there is - I can't see anybody better in world cricket.
Some people claim he is one-paced and that he would be a better bowler if he varied his pace, but he is doing fine as he is and he will continue to learn with each match he plays.
For each and every different pitch that he plays on he is going to have to decide what pace to bowl. Some pitches require quicker balls into the pitch and others you've got to slow it down and give it more flight.
But I see only plusses with Panesar and I think he has been the link that England have been missing for a long, long time.
Attack-minded
Ashley Giles did a good job but he was very much a holding bowler. But Monty attacks and he can also keep an end tight if he wants. His main thrust is as a wicket-taking, attacking bowler.
And his stats stack up, they really do.
Having said that, I'm not sure Sri Lanka will be worried about Monty - I'm sure England will be far more worried about Muttiah Muralitharan.
But I believe that if England can bat first and get anywhere near 450, in the first Test at Kandy and throughout the series, Panesar will be in the game, big time.
It's critical that England win the toss and bat first in every game, mainly because that will keep Murali out of the game for a while and will also bring Panesar into the game bowling last.
I have no problem with Monty playing one-day international cricket as I like the attacking option that he offers. For too long we have had people like Jamie Dalrymple and Gareth Batty - bowlers who just do a job and who batters wouldn't worry about at all.
But Panesar can take wickets because he's a quality performer. I've never subscribed to being wary of an international bowler getting hit. That's part of the game - they're big boys.
Weaknesses
People also point to his batting and fielding as being too weak for international cricket. He's not a natural athlete but would you have said 'let's leave Courtney Walsh or Bishan Bedi out?' I know that Panesar works very hard at catching and throwing and also on his batting.
He's a great man to have around the camp - his attitude is perfect. He's just a pure lad, obviously very religious and well brought up and he clearly enjoys his cricket. He comes alive when he's got the ball in his hand and is a great character.
He looks in the field like he's frightened to death but he becomes a different beast when he is at the top of his bowling mark.
Make no mistake, Sri Lanka is a very tough place to tour and the series is so dependent - in my view - on the toss.
If you look at all the great bowlers there have ever been, I think the best strike rate is that of Waqar Younis who took a wicket every seven and a bit overs and Murali is right up there. All the great bowlers will take five wickets in a Test match - all the all-time greats!
Muralitharan at Kandy and Colombo takes an average of eight wickets a game. That's absolutely staggering. This will be hellish tough and a lot will depend on our batters.
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Bumble answers your e-mail...
Bumble, quick one for you - top three cricket grounds please and reasons why you love them so much. Joe, Upminster
BUMBLE REPLIES: Joe, I can better your three - I'll give you five! My favourite would be the Sydney Cricket Ground as it's steeped in tradition. It's one of those places where when you walk out on to the pitch it makes you feel good to be alive! It's quite a cosy atmosphere and a very pleasant place to be. My second is in Australia also, that's the Adelaide Cricket Ground, a beautiful venue to play cricket. It's nice and clear, again it has a great history to it and I love the razzamatazz at the back of the stands. I like the grass areas around the ground where people mill around and have a yarn. I like Worcester - it's so pretty, although it's against the elements because that bloody river floods all the time. But you're looking at two cathedrals and the old fashioned cricket pavilion is lovely. The best ground for atmosphere, without a shadow of a doubt, is Edgbaston. It really is a bull ring, it's like a fortress. There's something about brumbies - they make Edgbaston quite an intimidating place and I love the buzz of the place. Lastly, an old village ground called Ashford-in-the-Water in Derbyshire. It's surrounded by cows and a river and has a little wood hut for a pavilion - sometimes it's nine-a-side, sometimes it's 12-a-side, but it's just a really good place.
Hi Bumble, what is your view on Read, Maddy, Solanki and Nixon playing in the rebel India Premier League? I personally don't see anything wrong with players earning a bit elsewhere during the winter as long as it doesn't interfere with their preparations for the county season. Simon, Leicester.
BUMBLE REPLIES: I have no problem with that if they're earning extra money for something they do professionally - and that's play cricket. They're chasing the dollar I suppose but I don't have any great problems with that. It doesn't concern me, but write in and ask me about Kolpak players and I'll keep you involved for about three days. That is the biggest problem for our cricket is Kolpak players - or in theory, overseas players as I like to call them. I would like to see counties produce home-grown players - they don't have to sign these players from elsewhere. It's a complete misnomer that they say 'oh it's against the law.' Don't sign them - it's not like they are brilliant players that have to be signed. Some of them aren't good enough to play county cricket yet they keep young players out and stunt the development of young players.
