Monty Panesar targeting first-class return to cricket

The 35-year-old, who has played 50 Tests for England, was at West Bromwich Dartmouth Cricket Club this week as Bedfordshire lost toStaffordshire in the Unicorns Championship.

The left-armer was released by Essex in 2015 because of ‘off-field’ issues and turned to medication to help deal with mental health issues.

He was at Northamptonshire last summer but only played three matches before spending the winter coaching in Australia.

Now back in England, Panesar is hoping a slew of wickets in Minor Counties cricket will catch the eye.

Things have started well with Bedfordshire. He took seven wickets in his opening three-day match at his home town club of Luton, and this week took six wickets in the first innings as Staffordshire crumbled from 165-0 to 286 all out.

“I’ve not had any offers yet,” Panesar told the Express & Star. “But I’m just trying to work hard and hopefully an opportunity will come from somewhere.

“This is my second game, hopefully I’ll play a few more. It’s good fun.

“It’s been going well. They’re a good bunch of lads. It’s been great to get back playing. Hopefully I’ll take a lot of wickets and that will help me play some first class cricket at some stage.”

Panesar spent the winter coaching in Australia, and is open to going down that route in the future.

But he still enjoys playing and says the sore shoulder which has plagued him since 2013 is on the mend.

“I spent six or seven months in Australia,” he said. “That was good. I was coaching mainly, and then trying to get my shoulder sorted.

“It’s good, it’s getting a lot better. I did a lot of rehab and gym work and physio. Luckily I don’t have to take any pills or injections, nothing like that.

“Playing is my priority at the moment. I feel I’ve got plenty left in the tank. Hopefully I can get a game in county cricket somewhere.”

For now, Panesar is concentrating on Bedfordshire. “We’ve done well in the T20 comp but hopefully we’ll get a couple of wins in the three-day game to put us in the mid-table. And with a few more games to go, who knows where we could go.”