I went to the local pub last night with a friend and we were at a table next to a group of 4 young English guys who were clearly cricket fans. Since they were fairly loud and the pub was not crowded on the Tuesday evening, we could not help but overhear their conversation. After some general talk, the topic turned to Monty Panesar and within a few moments got quite 'animated'.

While all of them seemed to agree on how good a spinner Panesar was, there seemed to be an issue about how he was "not really one of the lads" off the field. Considering the comments made about his beard and "stupid turban" etc, I gathered that they disapproved of the fact that he was a devout Sikh with a good work and personal ethic and was unlikely to be found drunk & disorderly or falling off a pedalo. One of them was even arguing that Panesar's social outlook was setting a bad example to other young sportsmen from the Ethnic minority groups!

It is easy to dismiss this incident as a one-off, but I feel that there is a more generalised undercurrent of resentment about well-known Ethnic minority sportsmen like Panesar who prefer to do their own thing off the field and not follow the expected 'norm'.

Nostro,

Very sad that you had to listen to that drivel. As a Christian I have played in many Cricket teams, I do not drink as much as some (although I do not abstain and like a beer or two), but I have never been made to feel not one of the lads.

The fact is that for many young men (and young women as well) Alcohol is not just a nice drink to enjoy in moderation, but you have to get trolleyed and fall over, and this is a sad indictment on English "culture".

At a professional level Monty sets the best example to any young player, he is dedicated hard working and utilises the talent he has been given. This will be respected by team mates and kids, but probably not by some imbeciles who think that to be one of the lads you need to act like an idiot.

It is very sad that you had to hear such things, it is not my view, and I doubt it is the view of most Cricket fans.

It's disappointing to hear people talking that way. I disagree though, that it's anything like the norm. The majority love Monty's enthusiasm and evident enjoyment of the game. I, personally, have never heard anyone say a bad word about him or anything to do with his background.

I would like to know how they can "know" he's not one of the lads off the field.

Well we were in the pub early last night as our bowls match was rained off halfway through and the highlights were on and we were talking about the cricket and the general feeling among us all was that Monty is the best role model in the entire team as the likes of Freddie and even Vaughan are photographed pie eyed in the papers too often and Monty just does his job and gets on with it.

I liken Monty to Paul Scholes or Dennis Irwin at Man Utd,they just do their job and shy away from the other stuff leaving that to the egos like Beckham,Rooney and Cantona which is basically what KP and Freddie are.

We actually laughed at Monty being so reluctant to lift the trophy with Vaughan despite the fact that he deserved to,imagine if that had been one of the showmen it would have been raised above their head like the FA Cup.

Those idiots who were running Monty down are ignorant and thick.I guess they have the same misgivings about Lewis Hamilton and Aamir Khan though which is pathetic.

Monty comes across as affable, humble and goofy a stark contrast to the glib glamor pusses we are used to these days and to say the least it is quite refreshing. He actually throws a bouncer also.

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I want to point out that none of those 4 guys mentioned above seemed to be disputing the fact that Panesar was a very good bowler and a nice guy at that. Most of the comments were directed at his alleged uninvolvement in the social life off the field. They considered Panesar as a 'misfit' for that reason only and seemed to be ready to condemn any ethnic sportsman if he/she simply wanted quietly mind their own buisness afterwards.

Well then, as we have stated they are just idiots then. I think you can be a key member of the team, without having to drink yourself silly. I don't think it effects the way he is seen by his team mates in the England set up.

To be honest I have never thought of Panesar in these terms, and I doubt if 99% of England supporters have also - these four who you overheard must be in a minority of 4, because I have not heard such comments.

You will get the odd idiot in any country, best ignored.

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Ern

Exactly, there are idiots everywhere. Everyone i can think of loves Monty. They love his bowling, his enthusiasm and his attitude. If all of our players had that we would be a better team.

I'm sure he is popular with his team mates despite not wanting to go out and get bladdered every night or wear the latest jewellry or fall off a pedalo.

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Mark.

You guys are right. As far as I am concerned, those stupid comments by those 4 guys were counter-productive. I used to think that Panesar was overhyped.....maybe he occasionally is, but he seems to be a nice guy and a good example for other young cricketers whatever their background. We could do more with such young players who get their pleasure in plying their trade well rather than getting themselves splashed acroos the papers for some brainless misdemeanour.