Steve Smith marked his temporary return as Australia’s Ashes captain with a bizarre attack on former England spinner Monty Panesar during a press conference on the eve of the first Test in Perth.
Panesar recently called on traveling fans and media to target Smith over his role in the Sandpapergate ball-tampering scandal seven years ago, saying he should be made to feel “guilty” for replacing Pat Cummins as captain.
Asked about those comments, Smith attempted to discredit Panesar by detailing his gaffe-filled appearance on Celebrity Mastermind in 2019.
“This is off-topic, but has anyone seen Mastermind and Monty Panesar in this room? Has anyone?” Smith said, before addressing Panesar’s specific response.
“Those of you who know me will understand where I’m coming from. For those of you who don’t know yet, please bear with me as it’s quite comical.
“No one believes that Athens is in Germany, that it is the beginning, or that Oliver Twist is a season of the year, or that America is a city.
“Those comments don’t really bother me. That’s all I think about it.”
Mr Panesar then responded to Mr Smith’s press conference remarks on Thursday, telling BBC 5 Live: “We’ve both made mistakes. I made mistakes on the quiz show and he (Steve Smith) made mistakes on the cricket field.”
Smith will captain Australia in the first Ashes Test in place of injured Pat Cummins.
Mr Panesar told the PA news agency: “It’s interesting. I think it’s still 100 per cent in his head. I think he remembers the questions and answers because it’s very interesting.”
“The best way to deviate from that is to say something totally funny and comical, like what I did on the show, and then everything moves forward.
“If I were in the England team now, I’d be thinking, ‘Monty’s given Steve Smith some ammunition to use.’
Would he have done better than Monty in Mastermind?
question
How many pockets does a full-sized snooker table have?What constellation is represented by a crab?What is the title of AA Milne’s stage adaptation of Kenneth Grahame’s children’s novel The Wind in the Willows?Henry VIII had three wives, two of them Anne, and one who died shortly after giving birth to the future Edward VI. What is her name? What is the international standard unit of absolute temperature? It is denoted by the letter K. Which Asian island city is served by Changi Airport? What do birds described as “pelagic” spend most of their lives flying over? What is the 1997 film in which a group of unemployed men from Sheffield become strippers for a night at a local working men’s club? Which city is home to the Olympiastadion, built for the 1972 Olympics and where the German national soccer team played international matches? What is the title of the first volume of C.S. Lewis’s “The Chronicles of Narnia,” which will be published in 2001? Chronologically, it follows “The Magician’s Nephew.” Named after the South African city of Kimberley, kimberlite and igneous rocks are a rich source of highly valuable stones. What are the five names given to the title of the hit musical honoring jazz bluesman Louis Jordan? In his 1819 poem, which season of the year does Keats describe as “a season of mist and gentle fruitfulness”? In which cities is the TV comedy broadcast? Series “Cheers” set 10 since 1801, except in 1941 due to World War II What national surveys are carried out in the UK each year?
correct answer
1) Six 2) Gun 3) Toad House 4) Jane 5) Kelvin 6) Singapore 7) Sea 8) The Full Monty 9) Munich 10) The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 11) Diamond 12) Five Men Named Mo 13) Autumn 14) Boston 15) Census
Panesar’s answer
1) Six – Correct 2) Scorpion – Incorrect 3) Harry Potter – Incorrect 4) Elizabeth – Incorrect 5) Pass – Incorrect 6) Shanghai – Incorrect 7) The Sky – Incorrect 8) Dreamboys – Incorrect 9) Athens – Incorrect 10) CJ Lewis – Incorrect 11) Pass – Incorrect 12) Pass – Incorrect 13) Oliver Twist – Incorrect 14) America – Incorrect 15) Pass – Incorrect
Australian hand debuts on Weathered and Doggett
As well as hitting back at Panesar, Smith also approved the addition of two 31-year-old debutants to the Australian squad for the first Test in Perth.
Opening batsman Jake Weatherald makes Test debut for Australia in the first Ashes Test in Perth
Opening batsman Jake Weatherald and pace bowler Brendan Doggett have been named in the starting XI, ending months of speculation specifically about Australia’s opening partnership.
Marnus Labuschagne, who has been appointed as a provisional opener, will fight back in the favorite No. 3 position thanks to the selection of Wetherald, who averages 37.47 runs in first-class cricket.
South Australian seamer Doggett will replace the injured Josh Hazlewood and, as expected, Scott Boland will replace Cummins in a weakened Australian pace attack that also features quick left-armer Mitchell Starc.
All-rounder Cameron Green’s recovery from injury means there is no room in the team for Beau Webster, who played an impressive seven Tests in Green’s absence.
Australia’s 11th Ashes Test: Usman Khawaja, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (captain), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Nathan Ryan, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Brendan Doggett.
Ashes Series in Australia 2025-26
always UK and Ireland
First Test: Friday 21st November – Tuesday 25th November (2.30am) – Optus Stadium, Perth Second Test (day/night): Thursday 4th December – Monday 8th December (4.30am) – The Gabba, Brisbane Third Test: Wednesday 17th December – Sunday 21st December (12am) – Adelaide Oval Fourth Test: Thursday 25th December – Monday 29th December (11.30pm) – Melbourne Cricket Ground Fifth Test: Sunday 4th January – Thursday 8th January (11.30pm) – Sydney Cricket Ground
