Swann plays down the Ashes
Graeme Swann has played down the pre-Ashes hype that has emerged over the last few weeks and says any recent form will count for nothing against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746.
Swann took the wicket that won the Ashes back for England in the last series with Australia and he is expecting a tight contest, which will probably be won by a single test match.
Swann has enjoyed a brilliant test career to date and has taken 91 wickets in just 20 matches to emerge as one of the best spin bowlers in the game. He says that England and Australia have very evenly matched sides and the series will probably be even tighter than in 2009.
Swann has a number of qualities that should ensure he does well in Australia because he looks as though he will go in to the next Ashes series as England's spin bowler. However, playing Australia in their own back yard is never easy.
Swann's qualities
Swann has much more variation to his bowling than people give him credit for. He can bowl regulation off spin deliveries that turn great deals and create different angles for the batsman. He can under cut the ball, which causes it to slide on and he can roll his fingers over the top of the ball, which makes it spin and bounce more.
He is very useful with the bat lower down in the order. He has a top score of 85 in test cricket and 183 in first class cricket. This will be valuable this winter because there are going to be times when England's top order does not do all that well.
He's a joker and a character in the England dressing room. This creates a positive environment and makes training and matches a fun place to be. The winter series will be long and England will be away from home for a great deal of team. Swann will be vital in lifting morale.
He said: "It won't matter what happens this summer come Brisbane [for the first Ashes Test on 25 November]. It is a completely different series over there. This series is about this series, and winning 4-0 hopefully. All we can do, and it may sound a cliche, is keep on winning games trying to get some momentum building up to Australia for our own confidence levels."
A different animal
Playing Australia in their own country is a different animal completely and England will need to raise their game in all areas. Ricky Ponting has lost the Ashes to England twice as captain and this could be his last Ashes series. He will demand the best from his side and he will want to go out in glory.
Australia have had a lot of players out injured in recent times. The likes of Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle have not been able to play because of injury and both of these men are very hostile fast bowlers. England cannot take anything for granted and the result against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 will not mean a thing to the Australians.
Betting advice
England look favourites to beat Pakistan either 3-1 or 4-0 in the current summer series. However, the Ashes will be a lot closer and don't read too much in to the odds that you will get once the Pakistan series is over.
The best option will be to wait until the first Ashes test in Brisbane has started because you'll then be able to see who looks up for the Ashes more. There is always a distinct impression in a first Ashes test that is rarely ever wrong and this will give the best indication of who will go on and win the series.
Tags: