MONTY IS NEITHER CHICKEN NOR LAMB

Comes the Ashes, Mr Buchnan, you will be able to test if Monty is chiken or Lamb.Over centuries, many had been trying to see if sikhs were chicken without an iota of success.Greatest warrior saint ,Guru Gobind Singh formed his Khalsa soliders and made them as tough as iron.They are chicken in terms of their love for mankind . But when they were forced to the wall in an injustice, slikhs were never afraid to offer the supreme sacrifice for the right thing, be it for the religion or the country in which they live.The same may apply for Monty as a devoted sikh.He should be ready to offer maximum to the cause he has devoted his whole life. Today, the objectives have changed from what Guru Gobind singh ji set out, but the sacrifice of sikhs will come in many forms among them sacrifice for the love of sport is one. You will be able to see for your self if the tactics Aussies adopt to unsettle the opponents will work in the case of Monty as he is a one who has been nurtured in the sikhk tradition.Do not mistake a sikh's compassion and love for a weakness. It will definitely boomerang as a pumped up sikh is really threatning.Taunt at Monty will back fire in the form of vicious spin which as far as my little cricket knowledge tells me is hardly palatable for your world conquering cricketers.It is an open secret that you still struggle against sri lankan leggies if Murali is laeft a side. This thoughts sprang in me when I read your comment in the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD.

"AUSTRALIA coach John Buchanan admits England's latest bowling find, Monty Panesar, will have a torrid time during the Ashes series in what may end up being his tour from hell."

In the same article , it was highlighted that Cricket Australia has warned crowds and players not to go overboard with their taunting of Panesar after a string of unacceptable recent incidents involving Australian players, cricket identities and crowds and a growing perception that the 24-year-old Sikh will be targeted. Recently, this trend has been identified as a growing cancer in Aussie cricket by non other than Aussie sports writers.Not only coloured players, but Proteas white players were at the recieving end in the not too past.We know the mistake of Dean Jones which by all apparent evidences was made in a light hearted manner.It is a repetition of the mistakes of the past if the crowd will use Monty's khalsa appearence for their target.Australia is no longer white only and it is a model of multi culturalism.Many people from the subcontinent have selected this place as their residence.A countless number of sikhs toil hard in OZ and any kind of this taunt might injure feelings of these sikhs. Cricket Australia should be commended for the timely action taken by emphasising that racism of any kind will not be tolerated.Buchnan has said ""Spectators need to understand that the anti-racism obligations apply to them as well. If you commit any of these offences you can be ejected, banned from re-entry and possibly charged.We've had enough incidents of [racism] around the world. Hopefully that sort of thing won't occur."

Coming back to cricket, Monty may be branded as a comic character when he bats and fields.But both these areas have improved since of late and even great Murali was not spared by Monty in the last test against Sri Lanka.Aussie crowd can test a new player as they usuall do.But if they wish to try out a player who look different and termed as comic by the press, it will be the biggest mistake.What Sajid Mahamood proved to his Pakistani British was now a history. I am too confident Monty's performance will definitely place him on top of the popularity in the crowd.

Monty is not the first sikh cricketer to be in Australia.Navjot Singh is a great entertainer who has provided much joy to Aussie pacies and the crowd alike.Harbhajan has been a revelation against Aussies.He was the thorn in the Auusie side in their famous tour to India under great Steve Waugh. Like his predecssors did I am too confident that Monty Panessar will bring enormous joy to thousands of Aussie fans in the Ashes.He proved several points to his sceptical coach Fletcher. Come Ashes as you said ""He'll be tested out here from outside the fence, by the spectators and by the team in the middle. I doubt he would expect anything else." . He will come out of this test with flying colours like the flying sikh MILKA. As the SMH title says " He faces baptism of fire in Ashes". As a baptised silkh into Khalsa, it is our hope that he will display his fire power in the Ashes. In my life, I have two individuals whose path I would love to tread on.One is my mentor, Guru Gobind Singh.In my sport world , my hero is Steve Waugh who inspired me a lot.I know for sure Monty will follow the footsteps of the former without any doubt.If he will take a leaf out of Stevie autobiography, toughness in Aussie will be peanuts. Good luck Monty.

Monty faces baptism of fire in big Ashes test
David Sygall and Will Swanton
http://www.smh.com.au/news/cricket/monty-faces-baptism-of-fire-in-big-ashes-test/2006/08/20/1155408076967.html