Former England spinner Monty Panesar responded to Steve Smith's swipe about mistakes he made on a TV quiz show in 2019, taking another dig at the stand-in Australian skipper's role in the 2018 ball-tampering scandal.
Speaking on the eve of the first Ashes Test in Perth, beginning on Friday, Smith poked fun at Panesar after he said Ben Stokes should use Sandpapergate to get under Smith's skin.
Referring to Panesar's appearance on the TV show Mastermind, Smith said anyone who thought "Athens is in Germany" or "Oliver Twist is a season" should not be taken seriously.
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Panesar responded to the latest dig by again pointing to the ball-tampering affair.
"It's bad knowledge, but at least it isn't ball tampering. I would actually ask Steve whether he can look himself in the mirror yet and admit that he was part of Sandpapergate, the worst example of Australian cheating in history," Panesar wrote for The UK Telegraph.
"To think that he wanted to talk about me before one of the biggest days of his career – when he will lead Australia out against England as he stands in for absent captain Pat Cummins – is flattering, and nothing short of hilarious."
Panesar claimed that all the attention Smith created may lead to more sledging from the England team and its supporters.
"There is another problem that Steve may not have considered: the Barmy Army. I have already seen England fans coming up with chants to be sung at him as he walks to the crease, and I cannot wait to hear some new ones. What about: "He's in your head, in your head, Monty, Monty"?
"Those chants are going to follow him every innings, at every Test, for the next six weeks. He has made himself a target for the Barmy Army and history shows they never fail to hit the target. That could really rattle him.
"I think England might give him grief now because of this, because it brings Sandpapergate back to the boil. If I was Jofra Archer, I would be telling him "I'm swinging the ball even without sandpaper!", or if I was Joe Root I'd be in his ear, "tell us how you do it mate, fine or coarse paper? Tell us the tricks of your trade".
"Suddenly, if he does not score any runs in Perth, that pressure will pile up and we could see weakness spread across a squad who may start to question their own captain."
Panesar also told the BBC: "We've both made mistakes. I made mine on a quiz show. He (Steve Smith) made his on a cricket field."
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In Panesar's initial dig, the former Test spinner told Aceodds.com: "Ben Stokes and the England team have got to make Steve Smith feel guilty and play on that.
"Say something like, 'I don't think it's ethical that he's the captain, I don't think he played the game fairly'. Really get into him and make him feel guilty about it."
Smith scorched Panesar in Perth.
"I'm gonna go off topic here," the 35-year-old said with a smile.
"Who of you in the room have seen Mastermind and Monty Panesar on that?
"For those of you that have, you'll understand where I'm coming from and those of you that haven't, do yourself a favour because it's pretty comical.
"Anyone that believes that Athens is in Germany, Oliver Twist is a season of the year and America is a city doesn't really bother me.
"That's as far as I'll go with that one."
Earlier in the week, Brad Haddin was far more damning in his assessment of Panesar's bold plan to unravel Smith in the middle.
"Pull your f—–g head in," the former Test keeper said on the Willow Talk podcast.
"England won't play that way under Stokes. They will get into a contest, but they're not gonna go down that way."
As for the series opener itself and leading the side in the absence of Pat Cummins, the right-handed batting phenom said he felt more at ease than in the past.
"I'm pretty chilled, I think I have learned a lot over my journey," Smith said.
"The couple of times I have stood in for Patty I've tried to be pretty relaxed and let the game play. Obviously I've got to do it my own way out there and have my own style.
"I'm a lot more relaxed these days and chilled and let the guys go about their work."
Australia confirmed their team, with two debutants – Jake Weatherald and Brendan Doggett – both coming into the XI to face England.
