34 looks quite normal among that lot. I think some of us have to remember that he started playing first class cricket back in 1998. He has had a long career. I wonder if the extra first cricket matches in England compared to other countries, burn out players a little earlier? I imagine Swanny will get on the T20 circuit one of these days.Age at which England regulars of the last 10/15 years played their last game
Strauss 35, Collingwood 34, Harmison 30, Flintoff 31, Vaughan 33, Sidebottom 32, Hoggard 31, Trescothick 30, Giles 33, Butcher 32, Hussain 36, Alex Stewart 40, Gough 32, Atherton 33, Caddick 34, Hick 34, Ramprakash 32, Trott 32?, Swann 34
Oh stahp it the guy has had a serious elbow injury, he's just said he can't last five days any more, what is the ****ing problem, these matches don't mean owt, should he wear his elbow into the ground for you and your views on cricket, this is just deluded, utterly mad and pathetic.If he had done this he would've done it pre-series. Which would've been fine. Not now.
They won't play two spinners imo because there are no other good spinners.
Borthwick is in Aus but he ain't good enough and spins it in the same direction as Panesar. Moeen Ali would be the only option if they wanted a second spinner. He could bat 6 with Stokes at 7 and offer some decent offbreaks but again he's no frontline spin bowler. But Ali has gone back to England now.
The other three spinners playing in aus currently of the top of my head are Stephen Parry, James Sykes and Ryan Buckley. Parry is the only half decent one - and could get a test match if England don't call anyone up and Panesar breaks down on the day of the game. For this reason I think England will have to call someone up. They're not going to risk Kerrigan again so for that reason I'd guess Borthwick or Ali will get called up.
I'm pretty sure you're the one taking this too seriously. I love watching him bowl. I really wanted to see more of him and Panesar together with three seamers. I, a greedy cricket fan, wanted to see more of him, not less. I just don't like how he has retired. That's all there is to it. I don't hate him now. I didn't hate Mike Hussey when he retired either.Oh stahp it the guy has had a serious elbow injury, he's just said he can't last five days any more, what is the ****ing problem, these matches don't mean owt, should he wear his elbow into the ground for you and your views on cricket, this is just deluded, utterly mad and pathetic.
Really don't want to infringe the rules of the board but you and Jonty Panesar just seem poisonous here. I and others have told you why it wasn't a horrific time to retire, so why the hatred.
I'm fine with jokey stuff from aussies, because that's what I'd do in a similar situation, but this just seems vindictive.
Take a breathe, realise a decent player has retired,and get over it.
Shot ducks. Does this ease or increase the pressure on Prior though?edit: having said that, oh to be a fly in the wall in the english dressing room right now. doesn't say much for the morale/spirit of the team, this.
I'd doubt it changes the pressure on Prior tbh, Swann hasn't contributed much with the bat for a while.Shot ducks. Does this ease or increase the pressure on Prior though?
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.If he had done this he would've done it pre-series. Which would've been fine. Not now.
Oh stahp it the guy has had a serious elbow injury, he's just said he can't last five days any more, what is the ****ing problem, these matches don't mean owt, should he wear his elbow into the ground for you and your views on cricket, this is just deluded, utterly mad and pathetic.
Really don't want to infringe the rules of the board but you and Jonty Panesar just seem poisonous here. I and others have told you why it wasn't a horrific time to retire, so why the hatred.
I'm fine with jokey stuff from aussies, because that's what I'd do in a similar situation, but this just seems vindictive.
Take a breathe, realise a decent player has retired,and get over it.
Of course he doesn't owe anyone and can do what he wants. He hasn't broken any laws, has he? It doesn't mean that I can't criticise him for his decision.This thread is ****ing appalling.
Swann doesn't owe it to anyone to play on for any reason. It's his career, his body and he can retire when he wants. .
I don't think they're the ones who haven't listened to what Swann actually said here.And no, if you listen to what he said he didn't retire because of his elbow injury. He specifically retired because they have no hope to win the Ashes anymore. Well, now they have no hope of winning a test match.