Following Monty's lead

Role model: Monty Panesar celebrates dismissing Sachin Tendulkar © Getty Images

Monty Panesar's encouraging Test debut for England in India could have far-reaching consequences for league cricket in Bedfordshire, his native county, and Northamptonshire, his adopted home.

As the first Sikh to play for England, Panesar is just the role model that league officials hope will persuade other talented youngsters from the Asian communities in Luton, Bedford, Wellingborough and Northampton to play mainstream cricket. At the moment too many promising Asian youngsters opt to play their club cricket outside of the ECB Premier League structure where facilities are rudimentary, pitches are often sub-standard and they are unlikely to be spotted by county scouts.

Panesar, who progressed through club cricket at Luton Indians and Minor Counties cricket with Bedfordshire to Northamptonshire and now England, shows what can be achieved and David Mercer, Bedfordshire's cricket development officer, is keen to use the local hero as a role model.

"Before Monty went to India he was interviewed by our local BBC radio station and he said he didn't expect his selection to have a big impact on other Asian youngsters," Mercer says. "I think he will be surprised by the interest that his success has generated. I would certainly like to talk to Monty to see how best we can use him to work with the local Asian communities because I am very certain there are plenty of little Montys out there."

Mercer knows from first-hand experience there is a lot of work to be done. Getting Asian youngsters to travel distances for coaching sessions is one problem he has encountered. Successfully integrating them into mainstream league cricket in what is perhaps perceived as a white, middle-class club is another. Bedford Town, Mercer's former club, are a case in point. Last season Bedford played in the Premier Division of the Northamptonshire Premier League with a predominantly Asian side. They were relegated in September and have now withdrawn from the league following a winter exodus of most of those players.

"I suspect that a lot of the players that played for Bedford last season will play in local league cricket this season, playing a poorer standard of cricket on poorer pitches," Mercer says. "In Bedfordshire we have two large Asian communities, in Luton and Bedford, and from a development point of view it hasn't always been easy getting youngsters from those communities into what we'd term `mainstream' club cricket."

The demise of Bedford, a long-established club, is balanced by the emergence of Wellingborough Indians. They have made rapid progress from parks team to the Northamptonshire Premier League First Division since they forged links with the town's Old Grammarians club. This move gave them a ground that has satisfied the facilities audits that are required for promotion up the league pyramid.

Chairman Dilip Patel also believes that Panesar's success might encourage other Asian youngsters to join his club, which boasts two current Northamptonshire youth players in wicketkeeper Romey Patel and allrounder Pritam Patel. "When our youngsters see the success Monty had in India it might give them a lot of encouragement and heart," Patel says.