Monday, June 28, 2010

Swann hopes England can push on

Fourth one-day international, The Oval: England v Australia
Date: Wednesday, 30 June Start time: 1300 BST
Coverage: Live ball-by-ball Test Match Special commentary on BBC 5 live sports extra, BBC Radio 4 Long Wave and BBC Sport website; live text commentary on BBC Sport website & mobiles; Also live on Sky Sports.


England spinner Graeme Swann
Swann celebrates after his fourth wicket at Old Trafford on Sunday

Spinner Graeme Swann hopes England's cricket team can become a "golden generation" - a label often applied to the nation's much-vaunted footballers.

England, who won the World Twenty20 in May, lead world champions Australia 3-0 in their five-game one-day series, with game four at The Oval on Wednesday.

"It would be nice to think that we are the golden generation rather than the footballers," Swann, 31, said.

"We wanted England to do well in the World Cup, that was a big let-down."

Off-spinner Swann took four wickets on Sunday as England beat Australia by one wicket at Old Trafford to take an unassailable 3-0 series lead - at the same time that their football counterparts were routed 4-1 by Germany in the World Cup second round.

Slow left-armer Michael Yardy also took an Australian scalp on Sunday, prompting the Nottinghamshire man to call for England to continue to pick two spinners in their line-up.

"I think it is a formula that should work in all one-day cricket," Swann added.

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"I'm always a massive advocate of getting two spinners playing, and it is proving right at the moment.

"The way Yards bowled in the World Twenty20 got him into this one-day squad, and he has been exceptional in these three games."

And while England supporters are hoping to win the series 5-0 to put down a marker ahead of their Ashes defence this winter, Swann knows the Australians will be eager to start winning.

"In this series we have been the best team - but we have only just scraped over the line," he said.

"We trounced the Australians for 90 overs (in Manchester) but almost lost - which shows their character.

"It also shows how far we have come, with Tim Bresnan keeping his head at the end. In the last 15 years, that is a game we would have lost."

England have released batsman Ian Bell and seamer Ajmal Shahzad to play for the second-string England Lions against West Indies A at Northampton on Tuesday, but the pair will rejoin the full squad for Wednesday's game.


England (from): Andrew Strauss (capt), Craig Kieswetter (wk), Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Eoin Morgan, Luke Wright, Tim Bresnan, Michael Yardy, Graeme Swann, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ajmal Shahzad.

Australia (from): Shane Watson, Tim Paine (wk), Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke, Cameron White, Mike Hussey, James Hopes, Steve Smith, Ryan Harris, Doug Bollinger, Shaun Tait, Josh Hazlewood, Clint McKay, Shaun Marsh.

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