Defeat was unacceptable, says Graeme Swann – Cricket News Update
England's stand-in captain, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/GP-Swann-c1501, admitted that the defeat against West Indies was unacceptable and conceded that a bit of panic crept in an inexperience side.
After bundling out the visitors for 113, the Poms failed to repeat their heroics, which led them to a 10-wicket victory in the first T20, and could only manage 88.
The star for the Caribbean side was debutant left-arm spinner, Garey Mathurin, who held his nerves to obtain impressive figures of 3 for 9 in his four overs. With him getting the Poms on the back foot early on, the Poms panicked as four of the last five batsmen were run-out.
Swann was left astonished, losing the match from a winning position.
"For half the game we were exceptional and we put ourselves in a position where we should never ever lose a game of cricket," said Swann.
"Let's face it, to not chase 113 in international cricket is unacceptable. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 bowled and fielded well, but not well enough to bowl a team out for 88. It was good fielding mixed with a bit of panic, and four run-outs is crazy chasing such a small total on such a big field."
However, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ernest-William-Swanton-c56374 also believed that it was a bad day for the side, where nothing fell right for the Poms. He blamed the playing XI for the shots against spinner Mathurin, claiming that his figures were supported by his own side's lapses in concentration.
The unlikely defeat was the first suffered by the team after a highly successful summer, in which they dismantled the Indians, sending them home winless.
Having thumped their oppositions throughout the summer, the loss might be the much needed kick in the back for a side, which was hardly tested in home conditions.
The next assignment for the Poms will be a trip to the sub-continent to face the bruised Indians, and Swann states that the team will be geared up after this setback.
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