Silver Silva
International Vice-Captain
Who is the better off spinner ?
Swann's average starts with a 2 thoughLyon and it's not close.
Ryan HarrisSwann's peak better than Lyon's. But he only really played internationals at his peak so it's a bit like comparing Anderson with, I dunno, someone.
Voted Swann anyway because that's how I roll
Decent shoutRyan Harris
I like this, except one played consistently for five years and the other still missed lots of tests during his five year career. Harris was clearly a better bowler when he could get on the park though, so that redresses the balance. Would be a fun comparison thread between those two.Ryan Harris
Did he really do much in that Ashes series though? Fair point re: India though.Lyon, but Swann has won an away Ashes and a series in India.
He didn't set the world alight but he did a bit more than most touring off-spinners manage in Australia. And he had a gun tour of India, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the Caribbean.Did he really do much in that Ashes series though? Fair point re: India though.
I think it's fair to say Swann might've had the better peak, but the fact that he spent so long unable to make the team is a bit of a black mark.
IIRC it was his elbow?He didn't set the world alight but he did a bit more than most touring off-spinners manage in Australia. And he had a gun tour of India, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the Caribbean.
Have always considered him the most important player of that 2009-2013 England team. Abandoning his teammates in a crisis halfway through the final series of his career was arguably wrong on a moral level but his shoulder was too ****ed for his bowling to still be useful.
Overall though, it's obviously Lyon. Swann simply didn't have a long enough career for this to be a serious comparison.
Spinners get better over time too. I don't know much about where his level was in the mid-2000s etc but on paper his career was nicely timed like Strauss' was.
Chucker.IIRC it was his elbow?
My mistake.IIRC it was his elbow?