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Panesar still hurting from England’s series defeat – Metro US

Panesar still hurting from England’s series defeat

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – Despite starring in his comeback match after more than two years out, England spinner Monty Panesar is still hurting from the 72-run loss that sealed a test series victory for Pakistan.

Panesar took 6-62 for England to be set 145 to win the second test on Saturday and level the three-match series, but Pakistan dismissed the visitors for 72 in 36.1 overs on the fourth day.

England lost the first test inside three days by 10 wickets at Dubai, the venue of the last test starting Friday.

“I’m still hurting from the loss,” Panesar said on Monday. “It would be nice to get some wickets but I would rather have a none-for and see England win. I want my performances to contribute to England winning and be part of a successful England team.”

England needs to win the third match to ensure it takes the $175,000 jackpot awarded to the team finishing on top of the ICC rankings on April 1 each year.

Panesar’s previous test was against Australia at Cardiff, Wales, during the 2009 Ashes series.

England surprisingly didn’t include Panesar in the first test despite the left-armer doing well in a warm-up match. Captain Andrew Strauss included him in the second test after seeing Pakistan left-armer Abdur Rehman troubling batsmen on the slow pitch of Dubai.

Panesar finished the first innings with 1-91, but was unlucky when James Anderson dropped Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq early in the first innings. But surprisingly, Panesar took the blame for allowing Pakistan to score 257.

“Maybe I let the team down in the first innings, where I didn’t take wickets at a quick enough rate,” he said. “Swanny (Graeme Swann) kind of carried me, helping me out and made me feel part of the team, and it’s nice to bowl with him and bowl in tandem.”

Pakistan spinners Saeed Ajmal (17), Rehman (12) and Mohammad Hafeez (5) have captured 34 England wickets out of 40 in the two tests.

“With conditions out here, the Pakistani bowlers maybe had more of the luck with the conditions, playing on a fourth-innings track with some cracks,” Panesar said.

Pakistan is favoured to clinch its first ever 3-0 series win against England, but Panesar is hopeful England can hit back.

“We’re trying to put everything behind us and trying to look forward to the third test,” he said. “Pakistan have played good cricket out here. The guys have been tested, but we all really want to put on a good show and produce a good result.”