Luton's England Test cricketer Monty Panesar has been blasted by Aussie pace ace Glenn McGrath for seeing a sports psychologist ahead of this winter's Ashes series Down Under.

McGrath, Australia's chief sledger, told radio station 2KY: "If he's seeing a psychologist already, then I think it's a bit premature and a bit ridiculous. Yes, it's a bit soft.

"When we go to England, we cop a hard time, we don't see a psychologist beforehand. It's just the way it is."

Panesar, the former Luton Town & Indians and Dunstable Town bowler, has been having sessions with team psychologist Steve Bull to help him deal with any Australian crowd taunts.

But McGrath says he doubts whether Panesar, now with Northants, will get much stick from the stands.

He added: "I think it's just media build-up, probably the English media, saying he's going to cop a hard time over here. To me, that's just cricket."

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