A good line from Monty

Australian crowds have the reputation of being the most hostile in the cricket world. And it’s widely believed that Monty Panesar, England’s new star spinner, will be a target for their vitriol with his sometimes farcical fielding. But the impact of crowds isn’t just about whether they are with you or against you.

Monty himself suggested as much when he spoke to the Sydney Morning Herald last weekend. “In general,” he said, “I look to take energy from crowds that are passionate about cricket. When you're in front of huge crowds, it's obviously a big motivation. I hope that most people in Australian cricket support the game in the right way. No one wants to see things that aren't right in the sport. In India, the crowds were big with a lot of people very passionate about the game. I hope it will be like that.”

Monty puts his finger on the matter, with characteristic accuracy, when he talks about “taking energy”. A crowd is an energy more than anything else. Players need to be able to ride that energy. When the Ashes were held in England last year, the crowds made a lot more noise than the players were used to. Some rose to it, others wilted. But they didn’t necessarily divide along national lines. Shane Warne copped as much flak from the crowd as anyone, but thrived on it. Ian Bell copped none, and floundered.

Monty will certainly get the big crowds he is hoping for. And no doubt when he lets the ball through his legs at mid-on, they will give him a hard time. But they may well warm to him the way the English crowd has, because of his wide-eyed enthusiasm and his endearingly inept celebrations. And even if they don’t, he can already see that the thing to do is not to worry about that, but to harness their energy.