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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| England set on avoiding whitewash | England set on avoiding whitewash |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Monty Panesar says England are united in their determination to avoid an Ashes series whitewash by Australia. | |
| The England spinner believes his team-mates still have enough spirit to summon a great performance in the final Test in Sydney, starting on 2 January. | The England spinner believes his team-mates still have enough spirit to summon a great performance in the final Test in Sydney, starting on 2 January. |
| He said: "We as a team want to show a good performance in this last Test match and most importantly we don't want a whitewash. | He said: "We as a team want to show a good performance in this last Test match and most importantly we don't want a whitewash. |
| "It's disappointing the way the Ashes have gone but the mood is positive." | "It's disappointing the way the Ashes have gone but the mood is positive." |
| As a team we're still very positive, there is still plenty of energy in the camp Monty Panesar | |
| Australia, currently 4-0 up, are aiming for the first clean-sweep in an Ashes series since 1920-21 but Panesar said England will try everything in their ability to avoid that. | Australia, currently 4-0 up, are aiming for the first clean-sweep in an Ashes series since 1920-21 but Panesar said England will try everything in their ability to avoid that. |
| "It's Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath's last Test match so that is another incentive to do well against legends of the game, but most importantly we don't want to go down five-nil," he said. | "It's Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath's last Test match so that is another incentive to do well against legends of the game, but most importantly we don't want to go down five-nil," he said. |
| "One of England's strengths is we always come back from these sort of situations. As a team we're still very positive, there is still plenty of energy in the camp and we're still upbeat about the next game coming up." | "One of England's strengths is we always come back from these sort of situations. As a team we're still very positive, there is still plenty of energy in the camp and we're still upbeat about the next game coming up." |
| 606 DEBATE: Can England win in Sydney? | |
| Panesar also stuck up for Kevin Pietersen after the batsman was accused of being a loner by Australia coach John Buchanan. | |
| "I don't know where these comments have come from, but the experiences of myself and the rest of the team is that Kevin Pietersen is always there helping us and he's been a good team man," said Panesar. | |
| "He's always helping me in the nets. He purposely creates a situation where he looks to come after me a little bit or looks to be positive in the same way the Australians play. | |
| "Even when I'm batting he tries to help me out. He can be in the other net and he may see what I'm doing and advise me on my balance or whatever." | |
| England have yet to finalise their starting XI but are said to be considering playing two spinners at Sydney, with off-spinner Jamie Dalrymple coming into the side alongside Panesar. | England have yet to finalise their starting XI but are said to be considering playing two spinners at Sydney, with off-spinner Jamie Dalrymple coming into the side alongside Panesar. |
| If England do decide to field two spinners it will the first time they have done so in Australia since Eddie Hemmings and Phil Tufnell shared 12 wickets in a drawn match at the SCG in 1991. | If England do decide to field two spinners it will the first time they have done so in Australia since Eddie Hemmings and Phil Tufnell shared 12 wickets in a drawn match at the SCG in 1991. |