Panesar can be a potent force in Ashes series: Rod Marsh

Sydney, Aug 1 (UNI) Monty Panesar, the ''bee's knees'' in Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer's words, found a new supporter in former Australian stumper Rod Marsh who believes England's new spin whizz could be a potent weapon in the upcoming Ashes series.

Despite Panesar's heroics with the ball, the 24-year-old spinner has not been able to convince his coach Duncan Fletcher, who insists Panesar's poor batting and occasionally hilarious fielding might go against him.

An AAP report quoted Marsh, who guided Panesar's development when the Aussie was in charge of the England Cricket Academy, saying that the left-arm spinner has everything in him to succeed in Australia.

''Technically I think he's a very fine bowler. He's got as good an action as I reckon I've ever seen on a finger spinner. There's not much that can go wrong with him,'' said Marsh.

The first Sikh to play for England, Panesar is very much into Ashes contention with his five-wicket haul on the last day of the Old Trafford Test against Pakistan.

''They've got to bring him here (for the Ashes). He's become a bit of a cult figure in England. The crowds will love him here - one way or the other,'' Marsh said.

The former player also felt that Panesar would be a hit in Australia.

''I'm sure the Australian batsmen will go after him, but they'll do that against any spinner. He's got good flight. He hasn't got much variation, but he's got good drift. He puts a lot on the ball, he's got extremely long figures ... he's good,'' he said.

''If you can bowl finger spinners well in England there's no reason why you can't bowl them well here,'' Marsh observed.

He also referred to Derek Underwood and Phil Tufnell and made his point that England Left-arm spinners did have success in Australia.

'Monty's a lovely bloke - hasn't got a bad bone in his body. Of all the young blokes that I've been involved with, none loved the game more than him,'' said Marsh, revealing Panesar used to e-mail him every week to find out if he could bowl at the Academy batsmen.

Former England captain David Gower also threw his weight behind Panesar's inclusion for the Ashes series.

''His big challenge will come in Australia this winter ... where the home crowds will be quick to seize on any signs of weakness.

''By the look of it, he has the capacity to cope with them but he will have to be wary of an Australian batting force that will be intent on making life as hard as possible for him,'' Gower wrote in his column.

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