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Ashes 2013-14: Public announcer sacked for calling Monty Panesar's name in Indian accent in practice match

Monty Panesar during the practice match against Cricket Australia Chairman’s XI

England’s Ashes tour down under got a further bout of mini controversy when ground announcer David Nixon was sacked for using an inappropriate tone while calling out the name of England spinner Monty Panesar during a practice match.

Nixon called out Panesar’s name during England’s practice match against Cricket Australia Chairman’s XI in an Indian accent when the spinner came on to bowl during the 2nd day of the 2-day match. Panesar was born in Luton, England and is of Indian descent.

“Cricket Australia deemed the conduct of the PA announcer as inappropriate and as such he will take no further part in the match,” said a CA spokesperson.

Nixon, who is a producer for the Australian Broadcasting Company (ABC), had earlier been reprimanded on Day 1 of the practice match when he teased English batsman Joe Root on Friday.

“You can go and have another drink now, Joe,” Nixon said when Root was dismissed. In the hot temperature, Root had been calling for drink breaks on many occasions. Nixon’s comment allegedly teased Root about the bar brawl which the English batsman had with Australian opener David Warner earlier this year.

However, England’s stand-in skipper Ian Bell and Panesar himself later said that they were unaware of the incident and didn’t take any offence.

Nixon too later tweeted about the Panesar incident, saying that the whole issue was just a clash of styles, and nothing else.

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