'Sajid is no traitor'

Amir Khan, the English boxer, has condemned the abuse of his cricketing cousin Sajid Mahmood, claiming: "He's no traitor, he's our hero." Read the interview in the Daily Mirror here.

Also check out Kevin Mitchell's piece in the Observer where he says that if both Monty Panesar and Mahmood make it to the Ashes squad, they will be plunged into an examination of their character considerably tougher than anything they have so far experienced.

Stephen Brenkley, writing in the Independent on Sunday, feels that both Panesar and Mahmood resist the notion that they are role models, or that their presence in England's team can play some small part in helping society progress.

Ten years ago there were few Asians in the upper levels of the English game, but times are changing, says Lawrence Booth in the Sunday Times.