MacGill taunts 'irrelevant' Giles

Stuart MacGill has indicated it could be Ashley Giles and not Monty Panesar who Australia target during this winter's Ashes Series.

Leg-spinner MacGill dismissed Giles' recovery from hip surgery and subsequent availability for England's defence of the urn as "irrelevant", claiming he and his team-mates are far more concerned about rising star Panesar.

"I heard on the news that the English cricket team was very, very excited that Ashley Giles was back fit and available for the tour," MacGill said in The Australian newspaper. "And I was also very excited because that means somebody else misses out on the tour. I think the inclusion of Ashley Giles is really irrelevant to the Australian cricket team."

Having been a Test regular for less than a year and facing his first series Down Under, it was feared Panesar would be singled out for abuse by both the Australia team and the home support.

But MacGill believes the 24-year-old will pose far more of a threat than his 33-year-old fellow spinner, who was part of the side that reclaimed the Ashes just over a year ago.

"Of greater concern to us is their in-form spinner Monty Panesar. He's done a great job. Any suggestion that Ashley can fill his shoes is one for the English team and not for us.

"I don't really think he's shown any inclination to have the same impact in Test cricket that Monty has already.

"I think he [Giles] is very, very defensive. Monty Panesar attempts to take wickets."