Swann so his great start just an illusion.

[putrevus]

He has taken 3/4th of his total wickets against weak teams Bangladesh, Pakistan and West indies, He has one good test against south Africa and rest of them were very average. Against India on turning track with almost 400 runs to defend could not do it.Against Aussies his average is over 40. He got hammered in this test , he was supposed to the trump card for England.Will he bounce back and be factor rest of series will be interesting to watch.

[saneindian]

He has taken 3/4th of his total wickets against weak teams Bangladesh, Pakistan and West indies, He has one good test against south Africa and rest of them were very average. Against India on turning track with almost 400 runs to defend could not do it.Against Aussies his average is over 40. He got hammered in this test , he was supposed to the trump card for England.Will he bounce back and be factor rest of series will be interesting to watch.

Naah he took those wickets because he bowled well. Will do well again. This is a 5 match series. In fact if England could somehow get to around 350-375 and gmake the Aussies bat again on day 5, he will be a huge threat in the session or two that the Aussies get to play on the last day.

[vaibhav_delhi]

In this test match, the aussies have attacked him pretty well. Not let him settle down. He has not been able to hit the right lengths also.

[Sachin=GOD]

He has taken 3/4th of his total wickets against weak teams Bangladesh' date= Pakistan and West indies, He has one good test against south Africa and rest of them were very average. Against India on turning track with almost 400 runs to defend could not do it.Against Aussies his average is over 40. He got hammered in this test , he was supposed to the trump card for England.Will he bounce back and be factor rest of series will be interesting to watch.

He's one of the best spinners in the world right now and will definitely have an impact in this series. As far as performing against big teams is concerned, he has taken 21 in 4 tests against South Africa and 8 in 2 tests against India (and that was in India). Its only against Aus that he's failed.

[CSK Fan]

I bad innings and this thread comes out. IMO the Australians attacked him really well just like indian used to attack Warne. didn't make Warne a bad bowler and neither will this make Swann a bad bowler

[hari504504]

don't jump the gun mate.. Swann is one of the best spinners around the circuit... he will definitely have an impact as the series progresses.

[Sid]

Dont jump the gun,he is still the best spinner in intl. cricket,he was never going to be a letrhal force in Brisbane as has been the case with other spinners including Murali,you will see what Swann is capable of in Adelaide and Sydney

[rkt.india]

i dont think many spinners have done well in australia

[ZodiaC]

Though I believe Swann's overrated, this doesn't matter as it's just a one odd game in Aus where spinners tend to do bad. And still I'd expect him to bounce back in this series ending up as top wicket taker for england.

[The Realist]

That Swann is regarded as one of the best spinners in the world is a sad sad indictment on the state of spin bowling worldwide currently - its probably at its lowest ebb ever. A journeyman who played for Eng once and was then dropped for 6 years and nobody missed him, even in county cricket he has not exactly ripped through the batting. Only got a chance cause Panesar lost the plot and the rest of the Eng spinning cupboard is so bare. Swann is a decent bowler nothing more and has done little of note against the stronger team especially away from home.

[Sachinism]

That Swann is regarded as one of the best spinners in the world is a sad sad indictment on the state of spin bowling worldwide currently - its probably at its lowest ebb ever. A journeyman who played for Eng once and was then dropped for 6 years and nobody missed him, even in county cricket he has not exactly ripped through the batting. Only got a chance cause Panesar lost the plot and the rest of the Eng spinning cupboard is so bare. Swann is a decent bowler nothing more and has done little of note against the stronger team especially away from home.

Swann was performing in domestic cricket, thats why he was selected. Yeh it was partly due to Monty being shite, but Swann earned that spot

[Lord]

if u go by this test,Cook would be a top notch batsman,wait a while

[Clarke]

It seems some folks expected him to run through the Australian batting, well he's not a fresh Saqlain or Warne. He is a jolly good bowler and good bowlers have off days, particularly when the pitch allows for England to score 517/1. If i might add something that's relevant to the topic: Bhajji has to deal with similar pitches. He can do better with the ball and can be our Vettori but needs some support at home turf.

[putrevus]

^ Well let us see how he pans out rest of series, but sub continent spinners when playing at home are more scrutinized than Swann. Bhajji/Ohja have been bowling of some of flattest decks ever seen but are always under pressure when they don't perform on those feather beds.

[ZodiaC]

If i might add something that's relevant to the topic: Bhajji has to deal with similar pitches. He can do better with the ball and can be our Vettori but needs some support at home turf.

Disagree, Bhajji can never be our Vettori. Vettori has batted well in bowler friendly conditions under pressure. But yes, he can come close to that allrounder tag, if he stops wildly slogging every single delivery.

[tocg]

Yeh, I wouldn't rate him as being one of the best bowlers in the world! I would rather face him than any Indian spinner!

[Debutant]

Whether he is over rated or not but i really like his bowling.He has a clean action who depends on trajectory loop flight drift of the delivery just like classical spiners without all the useless doosras and wrong ones. How many off spinners are there in recent times can claim their actions to be clean.I hate it when Sehwag and Raina get more turn than Bhajji on the same track.

[Lord]

It seems some folks expected him to run through the Australian batting, well he's not a fresh Saqlain or Warne. He is a jolly good bowler and good bowlers have off days, particularly when the pitch allows for England to score 517/1. If i might add something that's relevant to the topic: Bhajji has to deal with similar pitches. He can do better with the ball and can be our Vettori but needs some support at home turf.

difference is Bhajji whines about these tracks everytime he cant take wickets n match is drawn wheras Swann has taken in his stride

[King Tendulkar]

He is getting exposed and the emperors clothes will truly fall of when we tour england and galiticos batter him!

[dhillon28]

Swann against India

He's one of the best spinners in the world right now and will definitely have an impact in this series. As far as performing against big teams is concerned, he has taken 21 in 4 tests against South Africa and 8 in 2 tests against India (and that was in India). Its only against Aus that he's failed.

swann against india, @ 40 runs per wicket if thats what constitutes a successful performer than Marcus North going at 37.78 can be considered as having a successful off spinning test career. Swann's first two wickets against dravid and gambhir were only given because it was Daryll Harper umpiring- both wickets under normal circumstances would not have been given out. Also Yuvi dealt with swann heavily on that tour and so if yuvraj can deal with his off spin at test level then it shows he cant be that great! Also remember Swann's recently golden run came up on the back of a home/away series against bangladesh and a series against pak where they were purposely trying to lose matches.....granted he played well against SA, but remember his wickets came @31 (i.e. good but not amazing). also the tests against pak and bangladesh where he was successful came on spinning tracks and hence why he has been more effective in adeladie than brisbane (even doherty and pietersen were effective in adelaide when the track was turning). Where bhaji and ohja have consistently been bowling on tracks like brisbane and when they got a turner in nagpur they won the match for us!