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Panesar to prepare in Sri Lanka

15/10/2008

England spinner Monty Panesar will play a month's worth of club cricket in Sri Lanka this winter as a warm-up for the upcoming Test series against India.

With the Stanford Super Series in the Caribbean and a seven-match one-day international series to be played before the Test team convene on the subcontinent this winter, Panesar - who is not in either of these squads - would have been away from competitive cricket for three months.

But after signing an agreement with an as-yet unnamed Sri Lankan club side, Panesar will get some much-needed match practice before the first Test in Ahmedabad on December 11th.

"Monty is going to play in Sri Lanka this winter, a month prior to going to India," said England head coach Peter Moores.

"Details have to be finalised to make sure they're happy to have him and he gets the right position. Hopefully we'll get it all tied down."

Moores said the decision had been made so that Panesar is able to "learn through experience" rather than find himself thrust directly into the limelight on India's turn-friendly pitches.

"He's been there before and knows the conditions are tough," Moores continued.

"They are very good players of spin in Sri Lanka and he will learn a lot.

"It will also help him get ready for the Test matches because it's such a short series."

England play seven ODIs in India before the short, two-match Test series begins in December.

After the Ahmedabad Test ends on December 15th, the squad travel to Mumbai for the second Test, which runs from December 19th to 23rd.