Monty gives the credit to his buddy Colly

Monty Panesar hailed his batting buddy Paul Collingwood after Sunday's Cardiff heroics.

Collingwood did much to save England on a dramatic final day of the first Ashes Test, compiling a painstaking 74 to take his team to the brink of survival.

And it was his "batting buddy" Panesar who completed the job, helping James Anderson survive the final 69 nailbiting deliveries to ensure the teams will head for Lord's still level in the 2009 series.

Panesar told the Daily Mail: "It was such a fantastic feeling to play my part in this great escape. "Of course, I'm in the England side for my bowling, but I'm so pleased that I could contribute with the bat when we were in trouble.

"I didn't quite play like Yuvraj Singh, which Graeme Swann said about me the other day, but I've been working hard on my batting and it paid off yesterday."

Panesar revealed that Collingwood's help has been invaluable in improving his batting.

"Paul Collingwood is my batting 'buddy' and he's done so much to help me improve. He deserves so much credit for the way he batted, because he was the one who put us in a position where we had a chance to save the game.

He showed all of his character to create that opportunity, then Jimmy Anderson and I managed to calmly finish the job."

Panesar admitted he was a bag of nerves as he waited to enter the fray during that epic final session.

"When I was sat there in the dressing room, padded up, it was a nerve-wracking time," he said.

"I just kept counting down the overs while Colly and Jimmy were batting, knowing that we were getting closer and closer to snatching a draw.

"When Colly was out I just thought: 'I've got to see this through for the boys. We don't want to be 1-0 down going to Lord's.'

"As I went down the steps, Colly just said 'good luck' as he walked past."

The Cardiff crowd got right behind England's last-wicket pair as they closed in on a draw, cheering every ball blocked like an Ashes-winning boundary.

"Every time one of us blocked the ball they would just get louder and louder. Eventually I couldn't hear Jimmy talking it was so loud," said Panesar.

"All that support just made me think: 'Keep focusing, make sure you stay out there and play defensively, don't attack.'"