Graeme Swann

[Jarquis]

Where Itchy & Scratchy = Swann and episode = retirement.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Just been reported on ABC radio that Monty told team-mates in Sydney club cricket yesterday that Swann was going to be dropped for MCG and replaced by him

I think almost certainly he has been given a tap on the shoulder and management have told him to retire or the decision will be made for him (for this tour).

If I was going to put money on the reasons for his pulling the plug, I'd say this was up there in the possibility stakes. The selectorial fig-leaf of publicly announcing that one's going of one's own volition whilst they shove you under the train seems to be the way a lot of distinguished test careers end.

Moreover, I wouldn't be at all surprised to find out that Prior is missing from Melbourne having had a similar convo with the panel but probably, at 31, fancies his chances of fighting his way back in.

I forgot about that actually. Backs my point even further really.

I can see how people may have found him brash or whatever (he was just a guy with a sense of humour for me), but most of the hate seemed to stem around the fact people rated him very highly, whereas he wasn't as good as Warne or Murali. Well he was still very good.

Best straight arm slow bowler since Warne, IMHO.

Half-semi-joking. Kinda.

I'll be honest and say he was never truly my kinda chap. Funny guy and obviously not without a modicum of intelligence too, but I bet he was one of those irritating basfords who was always "on" and, maybe, just a hint of the schoolyard bully about him. Strikes me as the sort of bloke who either with you or against you.

Has had a great test career tho and he will be missed. Only Underwood has taken more scalps as a slow bowler for us and Swann's batting added to his overall package, even if one can't quite escape the idea he might've achieved more with it than he did. I think, looking at him at the crease, it was obvious he never fancied proper pace.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Love the man and we won't have another spinner getting anywhere near 200 wickets for years.

Monty plays for 18 months he will be past 200.

 

[LegionOfBrad]

Monty plays for 18 months he will be past 200.

I don' think he will though. Though throwing in Borthwick/Whoever in a 5 match series against the Indians would be mad.

 

[Spark]

For what it's worth, this is a bloody awful article IMO.

 

[Spikey]

hoops needs to #logoff

 

[Burgey]

If this was Murali / Ajmal the forum would have erupted.

Not really. Based on the lack of interest in the current series between their two countries, no one would have noticed they'd gone.

 

[Maximas]

Not really. Based on the lack of interest in the current series between their two countries, no one would have noticed they'd gone.

tbf the tests haven't started yet

 

[Burgey]

You sense the Odis mean more

 

[Tom Halsey]

ok now let's predict the responses if Swann announced his retirement, but expressed his desire to play these last two matches

that's not the scenario I gave you, but if Swann had announced his retirement pre-series, there'd be a lot of people saying that with the series now gone, maybe they should move on and leave Swann out of the team.

Yeah this.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

The fact that Panesar was likely to play anyway means Swann announcing this now means nothing.

 

[Sachin95]

Shouldn't have left in the middle , shame.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

You sense the Odis mean more

If the ODI's meant more then there would have been more interest.

 

[Prince EWS]

If the ODI's meant more then there would have been more interest.

Maybe there will be even less interest in the Tests.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Maybe there will be even less interest in the Tests.

Anyway,

I don't know why people are talking crap about Ajmal in this thread. It's about Swann!

 

[AlanJLegend]

Shouldn't have left in the middle , shame.

I don't really have any problem with it. His body was struggling but he played on in hopes of retaining the Ashes in Australia. That hasn't happened. There's no point him playing on for absolutely no reason when England can start preparing for the future now.

 

[GuyFromLancs]

Big shock, news broke as I was about to go to bed last night. Thanks for the memories Swanny, you were to put it simply comfortably the best spinner that England have had in the last 30 years. To play your part in 3 ashes wins and a series win in India as well as be a leading member of the side that reached number 1 is a fair effort for someone nobody seems to rate.

I guess Panesar has the role now for the forseeable future and Dockrell will be poached off Ireland.

Exactly. Swann is by some considerable distance the best spinner we've had in my lifetime.

Looks like it's back to Monty for a while

 

[91Jmay]

400 international wickets as an orthodox finger spinner is good any way you slice it. Series win in India, T20 World Cup (he was pretty good in that IIRC) and 3 Ashes wins including one in Aus. Yeah he was a hell of a player for England. Posted in another thread I think we will be in the doldrums again for a number of years, will look back on Swann even more fondly in 2015 when an arsehole like Steve Smith is peppering Scott Borthwick all over Lords.

 

[indiaholic]

Utterly horrible posting from Migara.

Was my second favourite English player. Sad to see him go.

 

[fredfertang]

Now I'm not generally the most sociable of human beings, but I have been improving in recent months. So last week the next door neighbours invited son the elder and I to a party at theirs so we decided to go. Arrived at about 8 pm to be greeted by the sight of more alcohol and food than I've ever seen in my life before, so I thought **** it, haven't got properly pissed for about twenty years, so I abandoned myself to my fate - last few hours, predictably, have been one long round of sleeping, vomiting, drinking copious amounts of water and sleeping it off - finally feel able to log on ten minutes ago and I read that Swanneh has fallen on his sword - verily this is the hang over that will go on giving