Subscribe to AOC quoting subscription code AOC89_SWANNY and you’ll receive a FREE copy of Swanny In A Spin, worth £11.99.

Witty, cheeky, and an expert at the Sprinkler, Swanny gives his unique spin on the best, worst, and most bizarre moments from the history of the game is this hilarious (and downright silly) DVD.

Swanny In A Spin! also features England’s more recent escapades, including a certain World Cup game against Ireland, glass-shattering happenings at Lord’s, the Three Lions’ whitewashing of India last summer and, of course, England’s historic Ashes win in Australia. Naturally, Swanny has one or two things to say about the old foe – expect sledging at its finest!

Simply subscribe to the magazine using the code AOC89_SWANNY and you’ll be guaranteed 12 issues of cricket loveliness for the next year and receive a copy of Swanny In A Spin! absolutely free. Go on, treat yourself (or a loved one) and celebrate Valentine’s Day with the UK’s liveliest cricket magazine – trust us, it’s better than a bunch of flowers from the BP Garage!

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Some days you wake up and fancy something different. You want to shake things up a bit and challenge yourself. So what did those cricketing ‘twits’ do for their ‘new thing this week’?

1. Be a (retro) popstar… sort of – sorry lads I’m not feeling it. Razor Ruddock was more believable!
@RonnieIrani1 Liverpool are back at Wembley for the first time since 96! So talkSPORT have turned us into Spice Boys, shocking!

2. Embrace your inner Carrie – that’s Carrie from Sex and the City (shoes, fashion) not Carrie from the Stephen King novel (homicidal teen). Just so we are clear…
@blowersh Past the first test: Michael Vaughan has approved of my Tod two-tone shoes!!!

@AlisonMitchell Morning! @blowersh has gone for the yellow trousers today. I’d say daffodil, but he’s a Norwich City fan so it would have to be canary…

3. Become a golf coach – those who can, do. Those who can’t, shout from the sidelines. No one likes a backseat driver.
@VaughanCricket Seen it all.. @bumblecricket showing Richard Green how to do it on the 1st tee at the Abu dhabi open.

4. Reconnect with your culture – an Indian, an Aussie and a South African…
@LalitKModi Happy Republic Day.

@warne888 How has everyone’s Australia day been ?? Hope every single one of you out there is smiling and feeling proud to be Australian !!! X

@hershybru Happy australian day to all the ozzies…question is..wat are the women gonna do for their country today!!!!

5. Get your groove on – Dwayne Bravo: the coolest man on the planet?
@Newbigdog Guess who’s back in the studio with the real big man? Watch this space friends & fans!

6. Stop putting off until tomorrow – and get very excited, indeed
@Swannyg66 Seeing as my umpteen hints were ignored for Christmas, I have decided to treat myself to the audiobook of I Partridge…

…it’s hard to explain just how excited I am about this. It’s like when they re-released Star Wars on my 18th birthday #soggyundies

7. Take in some culture – no shame Iain, Tintin is a classic
@iainobrien I’m doing something this afternoon that I’ve never done before… Bet you’ll never guess! For the first time ever I went and watched a movie by myself. A bit weird, snuck in and out while it was dark! #Tintin

@GaleyLad Silent films?!! Can’t get my head round that!!

8. Prove you are never to old to try something new – but maybe have someone younger around just in case
@VaughanCricket I cannot believe @beefybotham has just posted his email address???? and he tells me he isn’t getting old!!!!!!!

9. Go to war – well, try to at least
@finnysteve Just scratched my Modern Warfare 3 disk whilst moving my xbox around. In a whole world of pain now. Feel like crying.

10. Live the dream – you can’t argue with a photo like that 
@DaleSteyn62 Every golfers dream 18th! #sunset #iphone #golf @ Shandrani Golf Course

You can follow all the cricketing action (old and new) in real-time on Tweetsport. You might just be surprised what you find…

We’ve got Fire in Babylon (the acclaimed documentary charting West Indies’ era of world dominance in the 70s and 80s), Swanny in a Spin (Graeme Swann’s irreverent look at our weird and wonderful game) and Lagaan (the Oscar nominated Bollywood epic in which Indian villagers take on their British rulers in a game of cricket) all up for grabs for one lucky winner.

All you have to do to enter is answer this question:

*THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED*

What was the title of Graeme Swann’s autobiography?

(A) The Spinner Takes It All

(B) You Spin Me Round (Like A Record Baby)

(C) The Breaks Are Off

Send in your answers to comps@alloutcricket.com with ‘DVD’ as your subject title. The competition closes on January 27. Good luck!

From time to time AOC may send you information on offers, promotions or services that may be of interest to you. If you do not want to be contacted please include the words ‘no mailing’ in your email.

“I’ve always advocated the use of two spinners, I love the rhythm and tempo the game takes when there are two…”

Graeme Swann doesn’t want for much these days, except perhaps a bit of company. No stranger to the centre stage but secure enough now to want to share it, and a purist, a flagbearer for the union of twirl, Swann made a plea before this Test to introduce Monty Panesar from the wings and give him a few lines.

Swann, as a lover of a good yarn, is naturally a Monty fan; not least because Panesar’s anticipated return would echo Swann’s own comeback after the unfulfilled turns of youth. But he is also cute enough to know that a problem shared is a problem halved. “You have all the men around the bat,” he explained last week, winking in the direction of Andy Flower, “and with everyone in close you can make shot suggestions to the batsmen that he might not otherwise do.”

Let Monty play, was the message; give me some help, the subtext.

Maybe Swanny’s been boning up on his history. England’s hardy collective of old tweakers hand their stories of dustbowl-struggle down through the generations. It can be an unforgiving job, bowling spin in Asia, propping up the wilting seamers with 35-over spells, the fingers raw and cooked, the shirt soaked, the spirit sapped.

A personal favourite from a pretty vast library comes from England’s shambolic Indian jaunt in 1993 under Graham Gooch. This was the tour when the loveable leggie Ian Salisbury was drafted in as a net bowler to support the squad spinners John Emburey and Phil Tufnell and somehow leapfrogged them both to get the nod for the first Test at Kolkata. On a raging turner India played three spinners to England’s one, and Solly – a young lad, an Englishman, and a legspinner – was tasked with containing Mohammad Azharuddin; Azhar eventually went to Graeme Hick’s part-time offbreaks, though he did have 182 at near enough a run-a-ball by then.

Far better, then, for the English spinner to recall the little victories: Nick Cook’s 11 wickets at Karachi against Pakistan in 1984; Ashley Giles’ cussed beauty from over the wicket at Bangalore which so ruffled Tendulkar’s plumage that he ran past one for the only time in his Test career; Fred Titmus’ 37 maidens (6-73 from 60 overs!) at Kanpur in 1964; Shaun Udal’s dream afternoon at Mumbai in 2006.

But Shaggy’s four-fer on that final day against Dhoni’s boys was not a lone effort; that day Monty, the spindly panther, fairly patrolled the mid on region in wait for the catch that eventually came. Theirs was a twirling pincer movement at Mumbai, and it gave Andrew Flintoff his best moment as England captain; excluding the two-Test trifle of Bangladesh in spring 2010, this was the last time an England side won a Test in Asia with two spinners.

After the first Dubai Test (which still feels weird to write), the calls for Monty to come in for his first match since Cardiff in 2009 will intensify. Dubai gave us an lbw-fest, 10 wickets for Saeed Ajmal, an exacting support act from Mohammad Hafeez, and four wickets for Swann himself. Of the 30 wickets to fall, exactly half fell to spinners (and none to Chris Tremlett, whose quality appears neutered by these surfaces). Spin has never been more in vogue. Its threat, aided today by the technology on lbws, is unquestioned. With England one down, it’s time to get moving. A lefty and a righty in jagged harmony. Four bowlers, two spinners; same batters, better batting. Onto Abu Dhabi then…

Should England play two spinners in Abu Dhabi? To discuss this topic and hundreds more with like-minded cricket fans, visit sports forum 606v2.

Click here to read The Grubber’s thoughts on the return of Graham Onions to the England fold

England were on cloud nine last August after completing the team’s goal of becoming the world’s number one Test side but thousands of miles away, in alien conditions, they have been brought back down to earth with a bump after Saeed Ajmal put Pakistan in the driving seat on day one of the first Test in Dubai, bundling out the tourists for 192.

It could have been catastrophic for Andrew Strauss’ side had it not been for the rearguard action of Matt Prior, whose unbeaten 70 highlighted the importance of playing straight and the need to be more circumspect in shot selection – the Sussex stumper scored just three boundaries in his 154-ball knock.

The Pakistani openers followed Prior’s example as Taufeeq Umar and Mohammad Hafeez got through to stumps on day one with relative ease and brought up their half-centuries before lunch on day two on a flat, slow wicket that Graeme Swann was struggling to find any purchase on – only finding noticeable turn with one ball in the morning session.

But, with Pakistan looking comfortable at 111-0, Strauss tossed the ball to Stuart Broad, who soon showed the benefits of mixing things up by varying his length and sending down a short ball that took Hafeez by surprise and a resulting top edge should have been taken by Chris Tremlett at wide mid on.

Broad shook himself down, roused himself once again and cleaned up Taufeeq the very next ball with a full delivery from round the wicket that rattled the timbers. Four overs later he was at it again, finding the faintest of edges with some rare seam movement to send Azhar Ali back to the pavilion with just a single to his name. At 128-2, Pakistan were still very much in charge but Broad’s double salvo shortly before the lunch interval, as the game seemed to be slipping away, gave England a glimmer of hope.

From there the tourists continued to plug away, with Graeme Swann dismissing Hafeez 12 short of his century to break a partnership of 48 with Younis Khan, before Jonathan Trott provided the shock of the day by bringing one into Younis and rapping him on the pads bang in front. A further three wickets in the evening session, including two in the last two overs of the day from Swann and James Anderson, capped an industrious and disciplined day for England in the field and, while Pakistan hold the advantage with a first innings lead of 96 and three wickets still in tact, Andy Flower will be pleased with how his side responded after a poor opening day.

There’ll be renewed confidence within the England camp, and that is in large part to Broad, who provided the kind of burst of which we’ve become accustomed to help his side fight back from what was fast becoming a desperate situation. He’ll fancy his chances of knocking over a lengthy Pakistan tail on  day three, and then it will be over to the batsmen to improve upon a disappointing showing in the first dig and rack up the kind of matchwinning total we’ve seen them do on so many occasions over the last 18 months.

Click here to read day one’s Game Changer in Dubai

Tim Bresnan’s failure to recover from elbow surgery has opened the door for England’s back-up bowlers to stake a claim for a regular Test spot and one, or possibly even two, of Chris Tremlett, Steven Finn, Graham Onions and Monty Panesar will take to the field in Dubai tomorrow.

Bresnan has been something of a lucky charm for Andrew Strauss since replacing Finn for the Boxing Day Test at the MCG in 2010, with England winning every Test he has played in since then. A player with an average of 23 with the ball and 45 with the bat will not be easy to replace – particularly given the Yorkshireman’s ability to reverse swing the old ball, which would have come in most handy on the dusty tracks of the UAE – however, England’s stable of bowlers is so well stocked that Bresnan’s absence should not significantly dent the tourists’ hopes.

Middlesex paceman Finn is perhaps most likely to return to the side having featured in a near full-strength England side in the opening warm-up fixture against the ICC Combined Associate and Affiliate XI and he has overs under his belt after a spell with Otago Volts in New Zealand’s domestic competition before Christmas. The 22-year-old’s extra yard of pace (he was clocking in at around the 95mph mark in India over the autumn) may just give him the edge when it comes to making the final call.

However, Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss could easily opt for towering Surrey paceman Tremlett, who proved his fitness in the final warm-up match against the Pakistan Cricket Board XI after suffering from an eye infection and was arguably the pick of the quicks, finding pace and bounce to finish with four wickets in the match.

Onions is the third of the seamers vying for a spot after he was chosen to replace Bresnan in the squad and he did his chances no harm at all against the Board XI with three second innings wickets. The Durham seamer would be the most like-for-like replacement for Bresnan, bowling wicket to wicket with a skiddy trajectory, but it would be a shock to see him leapfrog Finn and Tremlett in the pecking order.

Then, of course, there is the option of playing two spinners – something England haven’t done since the first Test of the 2009 Ashes. On that occasion Panesar performed heroics with the bat as the hosts held out for the draw and the Sussex left-armer’s match haul of eight wickets in the last warm-up fixture has put him in contention for a Test recall and given the selectors food for thought.

He out-bowled first-choice spinner Graeme Swann throughout the match, leading the Notts offie to call for Panesar’s inclusion in the Test line-up. “Monty has done himself no harm and given Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss a tough decision,” said Swann. “I like the rhythm of spinners at each end and I’d go with two in this part of the world. I spin the ball in, he spins it away and a partnership like that can be formidable.”

There is scope to play Swann and Panesar in tandem and still find room for one of the three pacemen but that would mean departing from a tried and tested formula by dropping Eoin Morgan and promoting Matt Prior to No.6. In the past, Flower has stuck to his guns and been vindicated on each occasion and it would be a surprise to see a change in the make-up of the side at this stage, but Flower and Strauss have been as coy as ever about team selection in the build up.

The selection dilemma that faces England just serves to further demonstrate the riches at their disposal and both Flower and Strauss will be confident that whoever replaces Bresnan will rise to the challenge as the tourists look to cement their place at the summit of the Test rankings.

Who would pick? To discuss this topic and hundreds more with like-minded cricket fans, visit sports forum 606v2.

Click here to read Phil Walker’s thoughts on the return of Graham Onions in The Grubber

There are a number of potential challengers to Graeme Swann’s position as the world’s best Test spinner, but with due respect to Shakib Al Hasan, Rangana Herath and Daniel Vettori, his most serious rival is Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal, a fellow offspinner who has been steadily climbing the ICC rankings since making his belated Test debut in 2009 at the age of 31.

Both men are bound to get through a lot of overs on the flat wickets out in the UAE, so the series could well come down to which of these spin kings performs best. And the numbers suggest that Ajmal is the man in form. Whilst Swann had a perfectly respectable 2011 (27 wickets at 34.22 apiece), Ajmal’s stats were the more impressive. In eight Tests, he amassed 50 scalps at an average of just 23.86.

He has said that he will unleash a new delivery in the UAE, although this kind of talk from spinners should be taken with a pinch of salt. Shane Warne was always claiming to have come up with something new (anyone remember the zooter?) But Ajmal clearly believes it’s worth playing these mind games, perhaps because many of the England players have struggled against him in the recent past.

At The Oval during the ill-fated tour of 2010, it became apparent that England’s batsmen were not picking Ajmal’s doosra. Although Mohammed Amir’s five-wicket haul in the second innings took the headlines, it was the spinner who created panic as one batsman after another played down the wrong line. And whilst Ajmal should be able to repeat the dose in the UAE, Swann may struggle.

Swann is essentially an orthodox offspinner. He gives the ball a big tweak, but is primarily aiming to beat batsmen with flight. This makes him a highly entertaining bowler to watch, but his style is not well suited to the wickets in the UAE, where any turn will be slow and there will be little bounce to bring the bat-pad catchers into play. In those conditions, against batsmen adept at playing spin, giving the ball more air just means they will have more time to pick their shot.

By contrast, Ajmal is an offspinner in the modern mode. He bowls with a quicker, flatter trajectory that hurries batsmen. But his most dangerous attribute is the ability to spin it both ways with little discernable change of action. In fact, in 2011, he seemed to bowl as many doosras as orthodox offbreaks. If the batsman is unable to read him, Ajmal need only turn the ball a fraction in either direction to take a wicket and so does not depend as much as Swann on assistance from the pitch.

Of course, Swann should not be underrated. Great bowlers rise to new challenges and he has a perfectly respectable record on sub-continental style pitches, albeit from only four Tests. But it is hard to escape the conclusion that these UAE wickets on which Ajmal recently claimed 18 victims in a series against Sri Lanka, will suit the Pakistani offspinner more than his English counterpart and it is Ajmal who makes more appeal in the top series bowler market at around 5.5.

Under Misbah-ul-haq, Pakistan are a cautious outfit and undefeated in the five Tests they have played in the UAE. Their game plan will be for their stodgy batting line-up to slowly grind out decent scores before allowing Ajmal to weave his magic. With just a four-man bowling attack and with Swann not likely to have things his own way, England will struggle to force victories and are well worth laying at 2.24 in the series winner market.

Click here to read former England captain Michael Vaughan’s betting advice on the upcoming series.

In my last blog I outlined some basic concepts you should keep in mind when looking to place a bet on the cricket. This time around I’ll apply those principles as I weigh up how to bet on the upcoming England v Pakistan Test series over in the UAE. Given that we won’t know too much at this stage about the wicket for the first Test, I’ll be looking at the series as a whole.

THE BOWLERS
I mentioned last time that the single most important factor to consider ahead of a Test is the strength of the two bowling attacks involved. The reason England have such a challenge on their hands in this series is that – for the first time in the last 12 months – they will be facing a bowling attack which is as capable of taking 20 wickets as their own.

In Australia, Andrew Strauss had more quality options, more variety and more in-form bowlers than Ricky Ponting, and that went a long way to deciding the outcome of the series. When India toured this summer, Strauss had bowlers who could make the ball swing whilst MS Dhoni lost Zaheer Khan, his best bowler, during the first Test and had to make do with inexperienced players who didn’t know how to exploit English conditions. We all know what happened next.

Graeme Swann has been vital to all of England’s recent success, but he might just meet his match at last in the form of Saeed Ajmal in this series. The 34-year old from Faisalabad was considered very much an ODI specialist for a long time but is now a mainstay in the Test team and an extremely dangerous bowler on turning wickets. James Anderson and Stuart Broad are two of the best pace bowlers in the longest format, but Pakistan have Umar Gul and, as ever, a number of promising youngsters coming through. There’s not much to choose between the two teams in the bowling department.

THE BOWLERS
One of the secrets behind England’s recent success in Test cricket has been their ability to adapt to different conditions, but the UAE has been Pakistan’s borrowed home ever since they were prevented from playing in their own country, so Misbah-ul-Haq’s men will be far more familiar with the pitches they will encounter in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

England won’t have much in terms of strong opposition to play against in their warm-up matches and could be caught a little under- cooked early on. All in all, it’s probably advantage Pakistan in this particular department.

WICKETS AND WEATHER
The weather is always a big consideration when working out whether or not we’re going to get a
result. This is unlikely to be a factor this time round; the odd session may be cut short because of bad light but we’re extremely unlikely to get rain so we should pretty much get our full quota of overs played in each of the three Tests.

Wickets in the UAE are generally very good for batting, at least during the first three days, so I’d be very surprised if any of the three Tests didn’t go into day five. I can’t envisage a scenario where either team has a session where they go out and take seven or eight wickets because the conditions suddenly become favourable for bowling.

Whoever wins the toss will want to bat first and post a big first innings total, and with the wicket likely to deteriorate on days four and five neither captain will want to be chasing more than 200 to win the match.

We have two good bowling attacks, as I’ve mentioned already, so both teams are capable of taking 20 wickets but, all in all, this should be a really good contest between bat and ball.

THE TEAMS
Strauss’ big trump card is that his Test team is settled and they’ve developed a winning habit. Misbah is relatively new to international captaincy, but his understated style of leadership and phlegmatic character means this Pakistan team look a controlled set of players who are all pulling in the same direction without big egos spoiling the team morale; something we haven’t always been able to say about Pakistan in the past. Still, there’s more experience in the England team and that just about gives them the edge here.

THE BET
Pakistan are too big at 3.5 [5/2] on Betfair to win the series before a ball is bowled, especially when you consider that because they’ll be more comfortable in the conditions early on their best chance of winning a Test will come in the first match.

I wouldn’t be surprised at all if they did end up taking the first Test, but I wouldn’t be too shocked if England then improved as the series went on and won the next two matches, or at the very least claim a win and a draw. So, for me, the best bet is to back Pakistan at 3.5 and lay them off after the first Test (those of you who have been keeping up will remember that a ‘lay’ is backing against an outcome). As long as they don’t lose first up, we’ll have a chance to ensure a profit on all three possible series outcomes.

VAUGHAN’S ADVICE: Back-to-lay Pakistan @ 3.5 [5/2]

Fancy a cheeky punt on the cricket? Then check out www.betfair.com for all your flutter-based needs.

Cricketers – hardened athletes at the top of their game, professionals in every aspect of their performance, leaders of men. Off the field they are a big bunch of animal loving softies. Here at Tweetsport we’ve been checking out the little fluffy lovelies who have stolen our cricketers’ hearts.

Warning – you will want to go “aw, soooo cute!” Yes even you at the back. Oh, and as its Christmas, there’s a little Christmas bonus at the end. No peeking now!

1. Too Cool for Cats

Graeme Swann’s little helper takes a well earned nap. Don’t wake him up!
Here are paddy’s jaguar-esque paws @Swannyg66

2. Broadband Burnley Style

A little animal themed sledging from Vaughan and Co.
“RT: Burnley does have internet” ha ha.. Best yet!!! @VaughanCricket

3. The Lion Sleeps Tonight

And as Mark Butcher found out, if the lion wants to sleep on the windsreen of your car that’s exactly what she’s going to do… and she’s not going to be careful (see the image at the top of the article!)
check out my new fox repellant. nice having you around guys @markbutcher72

4. It’s a Dog’s Life

Matthew Hoggard spends some quality time with the lads.
One of my boys having a snuggle @Hoggy602

5. Finding Tudor

Apparently even Alex Tudor conceded there was a passing resemblance.
@scottynewms: If @alextudorcoach was a fish! “I don’t know how 2 do funny pictures so some1 finish him 4 me please.. @alextudorcoach

6. Man’s Best Hangover Cure

After helping his master recover from last week’s liquid lunch Jonathan Agnew’s pooch had a dress up Friday.
here’s one modelled by @aggersbracken @Aggerscricket

7. A Watched Dog Never Steals

David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd keeping a close eye on developments. As if he would be so bold?
Don’t even think about it! @BumbleCricket

8. Andrex chose their logo well

Yes Rob, we all have to make sacrifices.
Missing x factor not because I’m out but because I’m back on #poohwatch #mischab @robkey612

9. Your pets are like your children

Adam Hollioake seems to think they are.
Similar? @adamhollioake

10. Festive and Fashionable?

Stuart Broad last Chrismas Day getting a little festive with the family. What did the neighbours think?
Walking the dog this morning, getting some funny looks for some reason…@StuartBroad8

Your Christmas Bonus – A walk on the wild side

Those seagulls are a cunning bunch – as spotted by Graeme Swann
This is getting crazy now @Swannyg66

Merry Christmas all and have a great 2012 from us here @Tweetsportcouk! You can follow all the cricketing action (and not just the cute animals) in real-time on Tweetsport. You might be surprised what you find…

Now that all that Halloween and fireworks nonsense is behind us let’s focus on cricket Christmas! Are you struggling to know what to get your loved one this year? Well struggle no more – here is our ‘Top 10 Christmas Gift Ideas’ inspired by those Twittering cricketing types.

1 Boys love toys – get your gift ideas in early

Darren Gough spoke for the big kid in all of us this week when he went retro for his gift choice. Not too subtle there Dazza, socks it is.

Off to have a peek at nintendo 3d Mario kart racing launch! At haymarket ! Could be fun with all the strikers there today ,lots of trouble @DGoughie

2 High tech – make sure you read the instructions

Graeme Swann let technology beat him. Try turning it on and off again…

I’ve just downloaded the newest iPhone Software and now feel like a monkey staring at a space shuttle control desk@Swannyg66 

3 Something sporty perhaps?

Kevin Pietersen would be happy with tennis shoes, although would probably swap them for a Chelsea win right now.

Wish I’d worn shoes to play tennis today.. #blistersforstupidity @kevinpp24 

4 Self help books – get the person in your life something they really need

After @johnnyyates pointed out Tino Best’s shortcomings with sledging perhaps some comebacks might be appropriate. Anything ‘ot pot related should work.

Best cricket sledging ever, how did it feel @tinobest ?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl1rHQj7P5c&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Or perhaps a joke book?

Joke Of The Year Coach Dex just said “This Guy Can’t bat Better Than A Ninja Turtle”hahahhahahaha oh shittttt it was the funniest thing ever @tinobest

5 Get your mates something they want

Graeme Swann has a few ideas what to get Cook and Bresnan. My money is on the DVD.

That’s a busy day of media done promoting ‘the greatest DVD of our time’, now off to Lord’s to play tour guide …and on your left you will see where Alastair cook hides his saxophone, on your right where Tim bresnan keeps his colouring book” etc @Swannyg66

6 Unexpected guests – have a little something for everyone

Yorkshire Cricket reached out to old friends… in an attempt to get some new ones.

Would love to be the first county club to get to 9,000 twitter followers – can we get there before Christmas? #yccc @Yorkshire_ccc 

7 Novelty socks – the default gift for a bloke of any age

If they are for a good cause all the better.

#4hsocks @HeroesRugby game Dec3 my weight is behind @HelpforHeroes http://www.heroesrugby.org.uk for tickets @BumbleCricket

David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd  is sorted for socks and he also heard from one of his heroes.

Reckon I’ve had a tweet from the great Courtney Walsh. Absolute gent Am made up !

8 Spend some time with someone special

Well Michael, this is awkward. Yes Michael it is. Do you come here often?

Lord’s really is a diverse place in the winter, tonight there is going to be a speed dating event!@HomeOfCricket

9 Public spectacles – do something for the community

When not taking his kit off for a good cause, Andrew Gale can also be found bringing Christmas to Batley. He’ll catch his death poor love.

Fitness test this morning before I go switch the Xmas lights on for batley tonight. Anyone going?? @GaleyLad

10 Festive fayre – a bit of cheese is right good

Shane Warne likes a bit of Goughie’s Yorkshire cheese.

@DGoughie hey buddy thankyou for the beautiful cheese !!!! Very very nice – more please !!!!! @warne888

But struggled for inspriation when it came to his other half and so turned to the Twitterverse. Not cool Shane, not cool at all.

Still waiting for some good Xmas present ideas for@ElizabethHurley - had a few good suggestions – thankyou…

If you think cricket’s for life and not just for Christmas, follow it in real-time on Tweetsport. You might be surprised what you find…

The chat last week was all about football and that big match.

Notts County , FA Cup Saturday ….we need a big defender …quick, good tackler , two footed …get there for 1pm @BumbleCricket

No not that one Bumble, England v Spain. The build-up had been dominated by the poppy debate and whether the players should be allowed to wear them on their shirts. The cricketers showed their support for their footballing counterparts as did many in the sporting world.

Wearing my poppy with pride #11.11.11
@StuartBroad8

#BackOurBoysWearThePoppy Final one for the night, BUY YOUR POPPY! there is no excuse not to, unless you are an absolute……! (please insert strong word of choice)
@Swannyg66

Eventually FIFA saw reason and the ban was lifted. Michael Vaughan singled out Prince William for his efforts.

Great work by Prince William… #poppysonarmband

He didn’t forget to add a request for help sorting out affairs between Manchester City and their troubled Argentinian.

Can’t Prince William get involved and Stop Tevez from being allowed back in the country now please…

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So what of the match? Well, World and European Champions Barcelona Spain arrived as firm favourites and no one seemed to want to support their national side against such imposing opposition. As Dominic Cork headed to Wembley, he dreamed of a different match.

Off to the England v Spain match with Probiz and their accountants. Lunch at the Sheraton then off to Wembley. Pity it’s not Stoke playing! @Corkyonair

In an uninspiring encounter, England won, thanks to Frank Lampard who sealed a 1-0 victory with a header from 1ft out. Hindsight can be cruel but let’s indulge ourselves for a second by remembering a couple of pre-match predictions.

Bet of the week… Back Spain to beat England on Saturday.. Even money!!! No brainer @VaughanCricket

England are going to get played off the park here! #SpainAreToGood @Borthwick16

Darren Gough restricted his comments until after the match, when he congratulated the side on their victory – I think?

now @DGoughie has about 44 hours to find something to blame Fabio for….@Akinbiyi

lol I’ll watch game over and over Well done England though Wins a win
@DGoughie

***

44 hours later and as predicted, Goughie let rip on the England team performance during his daytime job @talkSPORTDrive as documented by his co-presenter Adrian Durham who had quite a different recollection of the game.

@dgoughie reckons Spain taught us a lesson on Saturday. Having an absolute NIGHTMARE today. Never heard such rubbish.

@dgoughie just walked out of the studio. Tense atmosphere. will he be back???

Darren did return to do battle, just off to grab a coffee apparently but word was spreading that things were hotting up thanks to Freddie Flintoff.

Get @TalkSportDrive on now ! @DGoughie and Durham on fire ! Can’t stop laughing. What’s happened to @dgoughie at @talkSportDrive I thought England won ! He’s turned into Michael Atherton #nopleasinghim
@flintoff11

***

Just as England fans had something to cheer about, the Toon Army who count Graeme Swann in their ranks were not cheering. Something Mike Ashley had done apparently… not sure Graeme was convinced.

Sports direct arena? Yeah course mike, it’s a great name, the fans will love it honestly *makes hitch hiker hand signal minus the thumb*
@swannyg66

Cricketers love their football and here at Tweetsport so do we. Our nominated charity, Footballmemories.org.uk is looking for fans to add their favourite football memories on or off the pitch to their site. The aim is to help support Alzheimer Scotland’s Football Reminiscence Project which brings volunteers together with football fans with dementia, using the game to stimulate memories. So please take a moment to add yours today and help build a living archive for the next generation and support a good cause.

Don’t forget to remember.

Follow all the cricketing action (not just football chat) in real-time on Tweetsport. You might be surprised what you find…

This week on Twitter, KP has been looking at his options and decided it’s time for a change.

I’ve become a fashion designer; all for a good cause. Take a look at @BBCCiN’s Style Challenge here http://yhoo.it/vB25NZ on@YahooOmgUK #CiN

Tomorrow the shirt & tie go global. I’ll tweet a link to online sales this eve or tomorrow.. BTW: there are no sizes big enough for #7chins! [KP's pet name for @piersmorgan]
@kevinpp24

Although looking pretty stylish at the launch, we have to say we’re not entirely convinced by this combo, Kev.

This should be compulsory attire for SSN wonder surf report. Men & Women. #boardies&singlets

Pietersen’s career change may have been in aid of a good cause but he was less charitable with former cricketers who had chosen to pick up the mike.

Hate having to watch SA v AUS test match muted.. Cork in studio-MUTE!! Wessels commentating-MUTE!! Both as bad as Nick Knight.. #clowns
@kevinpp24

***

I wonder what he would say about Rod Marsh and Andy Bichel to become cricket selectors. @CricketAus

While Andy Bichel said he was: “Looking forward to making a contribution to the game I love… over the last little period we’ve been on the right pathway”, Rod Marsh said he was: “Excited to be back working for Cricket Australia…the most rewarding time I ever had was working with CA at the Academy in Adel”

***

While Graeme Swann (@swannyg66) enjoys being on tour (book promotion tour that is), Aakash Chopra previews his book “Out of the Blue”.

Here’s the cover. What do you reckon?
@cricketaakash

***

First Schumacher, then Thorpe and now another sporting legend is making a comeback. Hoping to have more success than the others is Shane Warne who appears to have got his cricketing mojo (and waistline) back since dating Miss Hurley and the cricketing public of Melbourne look set to reap the benefits of his passion for the game. At first he teased us…

For the record-Im Seriously contemplating & considering coming out of retirement for the 20/20 big bash competition in Aust over dec / jan !

Before confirming what we’d all dreamed about but never dared to believe.

Who’s going to come and support the Melbourne stars at the mighty MCG ? I hope to meet all of you there – adults and kids !!!!

Also a big thankyou to all of you who have supported me & I hope your excited as me to see me back playing at the MCG !
@warne888

It’s hardly a full-time permanent role but it’s great that another generation will get to see the spinner, albeit a much slimmer version than before!

Warnie confirmed for all 7 games, our website has all the details #wehavewarnie
@StarsBBL

Welcome back the king and looking forward to Hayden v Warne game on 20th @ gabba , people lock that date in! Go the heat !!!!
@darren_lehmann

Welcome back Big Man!

Follow all the cricketing action (not just KP’s fashion tips) in real-time on Tweetsport. You might be surprised what you find…

One Ball Wonder

If you don’t concentrate hard, you’ll miss it.  Take a look at the scorecard from Yorkshire’s rain-affected one-dayer versus Glamorgan on May 25, 2003. Umpires both named Holder, but that’s not it. Chris Silverwood opening the batting and bowling, a Glamorgan win by Duckworth/ Lewis, and Robert Croft going for an uncharacteristically generous seven per-over? No, none of the above. Look at Ryan Sidebottom’s figures. 0.1-0-11-0. He bowled five wides and Matthew Maynard hit his single legal delivery for six before the Tykes left-armer went off injured. He’s had better days at the office.

They’re Nine Down, This Shouldn’t Take Long

Peter Smith had plenty of interesting cricketing yarns to offer. The Essex leggie was on the receiving end of Bradman and co when he took 4-193 against the tourists at Southend in 1948. Then there was the one about him being sent a telegram telling him he’d been picked to play for England against West Indies at The Oval in 1933, only to discover it was a hoax when he reported for duty. 13 years later, at the same ground, he was in the Test team for real. Perhaps the one to top them all though, was the time he strolled to the middle, last man in at 199-9 at Chesterfield – no doubt trying to nudge a few more towards respectability. When he returned to the pavilion he had 163 to his name – the highest score ever by a number 11.

Swann’s Stranglehold

The stats don’t lie. He is the top ranked spinner in the world and England’s ‘go to’ man; invariably conjuring a wicket from somewhere when it’s really needed. At Edgbaston in 2010 though, he showed the more penurious side of his nature when he bowled 11 consecutive maidens against Pakistan’s batsmen, who according to Simon Hughes, were “mostly young and with bats like railway sleepers” and lacking “the subtlety and deftness to find a profitable response”. So there.

Eleventh Heaven

A number of bowlers, including Mohammed Zahid, Clarrie Grimmett and Alf Valentine have taken 11 wickets on their Test debut. Alec Bedser did it too, taking 11-145 against India at Lord’s in 1946, and then repeated the feat in the next Test at Old Trafford, conceding only 93 runs in the match. Described as possibly the first bowler to be knighted since Sir Francis Drake, Sir Alec was a man of firm political beliefs not to everyone’s taste, and lived with his twin brother Eric in the same house – built by their father – for 53 years until Eric died in 2006. John Arlott described them as “two dark, massive men, identical in every detail of bone structure”. But it is Alec who will be remembered as one of England’s finest, and who for a time seemed to have the secret to cricketing immortality – how to dismiss the Don. He did it six times, twice for a duck.

Last Man Standing Taller

It’s pretty rare. Gower caught Dujon bowled Marshall? No, much more rare than that. Perhaps not as rare as a reluctant number 11 going in as an ill-suited nightwatchman and being stumped second ball for six (former MCC president and Sussex captain Robin Marlar); but still a fairly rare occurrence. Against South Africa in Cape Town in 2005, Steve Harmison’s long-handled high jinks brought him 42 at a run-a-ball including seven fours and a maximum. It was the most recent example of a number 11 batsman being the highest scorer in a Test innings, but it couldn’t prevent his side slumping to a 196-run defeat. 

It is fair to say All Hallows Eve did not bring out the festive in the cricketing fraternity.

Be honest… Does anyone else pretend not to be in tonight when Trick or Treaters knock on the door?? @VaughanCricket

***

World and European heptathelete and perpetual BBC Sports Personality of the Year bronze medallist Jessica Ennis took the bait and Vaughan was quick to pounce, outing her to her local community.

ha ha I think it might be time to shut the curtains and turn the lights off!;) @J_Ennis

School girl error… We know you are in now.. Everyone pile round to Jess house and nick her sweets… Calling all kids…. @VaughanCricket

 ***

Over at Swann Towers, @Swannyg66 was up for celebrating… a Newcastle win.

Happy Halloween, especially to all the Newcastle fans travelling home dragging three points with them #baaaaarmyarmy

***

Unlike Vaughany, however, Swann didn’t forget to do his bit for childhood obesity… although he may have been thinking of himself as well.

‘Get some sweets for trick or treaters and you can have what’s left over tomorrow’ said Mrs Swann. I’ve bought 14 giant bags of Percy pigs.

***

Even the cat was getting into the spirit! (#hereallweek)

Paddy looks possessed. I’m hoping it’s just a fancy dress Halloween thing… @Swannyg66

***

Rob Key had an unusual take on the treat option but the ‘guisers’, as the Scots amongst us call them, were not keen to partake.

Not even the trick or treaters wanted our cat. @robkey612

***

The Head of the Key family was not in the mood to play. In fact Rob had #nointerest…

Currently sitting at home pretending not to be in to trick or treaters.@fleurkey can dish out the sweets later #nointerest

 ***

He decided, instead, to the poll the masses and he picked a popular topic. Haven’t you read the All Out Cricket article In Defence of Jonathan Trott (as also featured on Tweetsport?) Back of the class Mr Key…

Right. Answer either “good ” or ” bad “. Jonathan Trott as a one day batsman is ….?

For the record, the result was in favour of the middle-order batsman.

***

Always up for joining in the fun, Freddie was on form.

The kids who trick or treated at our house tonight looked a little bemused when I gave them hot pots! @flintoff11

 ***

Andrew “Hot Pot” Flintoff took a break from the kitchen to give a blow by blow commentary on the court case… no not “that” one, the one involving Fizz in Corrie, which also played out on Halloween. He was not impressed by the outcome.

Not seen such a miscarriage of justice since Deirdre Rashid got sent down for murder, disgrace!! And while we’re at it they should let Jim McDonald out too! He only tried to rob the bank to impress Liz #freefizz and #freebigjim

 ***

He also reported on his on-going issues with his phone line installation. We’ve all been there Freddie. Well done for not saying “Don’t you know who I am?” and keeping your put-downs topical!

I have now been on hold for longer than Kim Kardashians marriage!!

…Fizz and Big Jim McDonald will be out of jail before I get a phone line in

 ***

His sharing with the Twitterverse has yet to show results. Maybe he should get the golfer @PaulAzinger to retweet for him.

The power of social media. Insurer has just contacted me directly regarding Ph. They tweeted me, and called. Problem solved WOW

Spooky!

Follow all the cricketing action (not just Halloween) in real-time on Tweetsport. You might be surprised what you find…

So Graeme, what’s Swanny In A Spin all about? 
It’s a light-hearted irreverent look at cricket, basically. It’s famous clips from down the years and my favourite parts of cricket, whether it’s Dennis Lillee having a fight with Javed Miandad or seagulls getting smashed by cricket balls. It’s just good fun.

Did you have a big say when it came to choosing the footage?
Yeah, a lot of it was mine. It was in collaboration with the DVD company and they had ideas of what to do and so did I. But I’m very obstinate and I just argued the case until nearly all of my stuff was in!

Had you done voiceover work before?
No, I’d not, but having just done it for four hours, I think I’m a natural. When I left the sound booth a guy got me to sign a table which had been previously signed by both Ian McKellen and Ewan McGregor.

Any plans to follow in McKellen’s footsteps and join the RSC?
Probably not, but if Patrick Stewart can do the Money Supermarket adverts then I’ll think I try and poach that gig off him.

Do you think cricket lends itself to a DVD like this?
Yeah, it’s eccentric, isn’t it? When you look at cricket, it’s five days of sport with potentially no result watched by people getting drunk for nine hours a day. There’s bound to be a few funny things happening! I think it does lend itself because it’s classically British in its origins and most of the funny things that occur in the game tend to happen around the England team and the England fans. Considering how much alcohol is consumed at grounds, there’s so much scope for funny things to happen.

Who’s the funniest player you’ve played alongside?
That’s tricky actually. There’s David Hussey at Nottingham who always makes me laugh out loud. He comes across as really serious on the field and that’s what’s so funny about him, no one knows what a lunatic he is. Standing next to him at slip he just makes me laugh out loud but I’m probably the only person in the world who’ll say that about him.

And off the field?
I’m a bit of a bully; I like laughing at people who are a bit stupid.  A couple of the England lads come out with some daft comments. Good old Brezzy [Tim Bresnan], he’s not thick but he comes out with the thickest things you’ve ever heard every now and again. When we flew from India to Sri Lanka he claimed we hadn’t flown over any water to get there. Which would be quite a feat.

Does a bit of comic relief help take the pressure off when you’re playing?
Yeah, I think so but I tend to be fairly serious on the field. In one-day games you have to be because you don’t get to stand next to anyone and talk, but Test cricket is a bit different because I stand next to Straussy and Matt Prior all day. Straussy is normally concentrating on the game but it’s always good to have a bit of a joke with him now and again. He’s actually a very funny bloke, Straussy. No one would actually think it listening to his interviews but he comes out with a few corkers on the field.

You’ve had a stint as Twenty20 captain recently. Did you have to tone down the jokes?
Yes and no. I still can’t help being myself in the dressing room but there are certain times. When you’ve actually arrived for the game it’s all very serious but after the game you tend to find a bit more comic relief coming out.

Click here to order your copy of Swanny In A Spin on Amazon.

Not only will the lucky winner be the proud owner of this priceless piece of memorabilia, but they’ll also receive a copy of Swanny’s DVD signed by England’s spin king himself.

We’ve got loads more signed copies to give away to runners-up, and all you have to do to enter the draw for this fantastic prize is answer this simple question:

*THIS COMPETITION HAS NOW CLOSED*

What was the name of England’s celebration dance during the 2010/11 Ashes?

(A) The Running Man
(B) The Sprinkler
(C) The Paso Doble

Email your answers to comps@alloutcricket.com with the subject title ‘Ashes Bat’. Competition closing date is December 10.

Check out the December issue of All Out Cricket – in shops on November 3 – for our review of Swanny In A Spin and click here to order your copy on Amazon.

In this irreverent look at the wonderful game of cricket, England’s spin king gives his unique take on the best, worst and most bizarre moments in the history of the sport.

Whether it’s dressing room windows being shattered at Lord’s, Trevor Chappell’s infamous pea-roller delivery, Brett Lee’s Bollywood debut or a look at cricket’s fiercest rivals, England’s joker in the pack is never shy of a word.

Click on the video below for a sneak peak of Swanny In A Spin – which hits the shops in November – and look out for a great competition in the next issue of All Out Cricket magazine where we’ll be giving away copies of the DVD signed by the man himself and a Kookaburra bat signed by both England and Australia’s Ashes sides . Alternatively, if you can’t wait that long you can pre-order your copy on Amazon.

The England spin king picks his top 10 über spinners from a life spent watching fellows trying to get it off the straight…

10. Eddie Hemmings

(Notts & England; 1,515 first-class wickets; 16 Tests)
His ball to bowl Azharuddin during Goochie’s 333 Test match at Lord’s in 1990 [loopy offbreak that beat the drive through the gate] was a dream to watch and is easily my favourite way of dismissing any batsman. He also hit a four off the last ball of a one-day final at Lord’s against Essex that I remember cheering for in my front room, little aware that Notts would one day be my spiritual home.

9. Narendra Hirwani

(Bengal & India; 732 wickets; 17 Tests)
I can’t even remember his first name, but the Indian leggie from the same series as Eddie wore some of the finest headbands ever seen on a cricket field. Not enough players before or since wear them, which is a shame because they are cool as f***.

8. Peter Taylor

(New South Wales & Australia; 129 wickets; 13 Tests)
The Aussie veteran spinner who was brought in to play the final Test of the 86/87 Ashes Down Under. With the Ashes already gone, and his team 2-0 down in the series, he won the game for the baggy greens with his offspin, delivered with a twirling of the arms I’d never witnessed before. This obviously embedded itself into my psyche because I do the same thing when I bowl today, only without the geography teacher’s moustache.

7. Phil Edmonds

(Middlesex & England; 1,246 wickets; 51 Tests)
The most majestic and aesthetically pleasing spinner to grace the field in the modern age. His rhythmic run up, classical action and all round air of arrogance marked him out as a true boyhood hero. Tales from his contemporaries at Middlesex suggest that as he walked onto the field at the start of any day he would sigh and casually declare to any observer, “Well, I suppose I’ll bowl beautifully again today”. Brilliant, even if it’s not true.

6. Nicky Phillips

(Sussex & Durham; 162 wickets)
The Sussex and Durham offie may not have set the world alight with figures, but he was one of the greatest lads I played against in my formative first-class seasons. His good nature, ridiculous pictures in the Cricketers’ Who’s Who and the fact that he’s an offie see him in my top 10. I once came in from fielding on the boundary at Chester-le-Street to bowl and mentioned to Nicky, who was at the non-striker’s end, that there was a cracking looking blonde in the crowd by the scoreboard, only for him to go red and sheepishly tell me that it was his missus. I would have been shouting it from the rooftops. She was mint.

5 John Wake (Bedfordshire)

You are less likely to know John than anyone else in this list, but to me he is one of the most important men in my career. As the offspinner at Northampton Saints, my club side as a teen, and with an excellent amateur record in minor counties cricket, it was he who had the biggest hand in my development. Not so much in coaching, but from watching him every Saturday and picking his brains as he waited to bat. Most spinners I have played with or against over the years in first-class cricket are not as good as he was. John is still the head of cricket at Oundle School, he’s my old man’s best mate, and the first person to text me whenever I have a good day at the office. His downside? He supports Sunderland.

4.Tim May

(South Australia & Australia; 439 wickets; 24 Tests)
The first offspinner I ever saw who really threw it out wide and ripped it miles, so much in fact that he used to end up with a bloody great hole in his finger. I loved how attacking he was and got a sick pleasure from seeing blood on his shirt. Only since suffering from similar problems with a ripped finger can I appreciate how much it hurts to bowl with this injury, which makes him even more of a hero to me.

3.Muttiah Muralitharan

(Tamil Union Club, Lancashire & Sri Lanka; 1,374 wickets; 132 Tests)
I knew all about Murali years before any of you lot. As a 14-year-old playing in the Central League (made up mostly of teams from the Leicestershire/Northants/Warwickshire area), it was up to me to take on all comers every Saturday. One team, who I seem to remember were called Leicester Nomads, had an interesting Sri Lankan offspinner as their overseas player for a few weeks. Nothing was known about this little chap other than when he let go of the ball it made a fizzing noise so loud you started to physically tremble. His 5-75 from 27 overs was magnificent. At least 75 per cent of the runs were from edges that flew past the hapless keeper and slips. The game ended in a draw, everyone shared a pint or two in the bar, and that plucky little Sri Lankan trotted off into obscurity never to be heard from again. Apart from his 800 Test wickets.

2. Shane Warne

(Victoria, Hampshire & Australia; 1,319 wickets; 145 Tests)
Controversial it may be, but the undoubted best spinner of all time doesn’t top the chart for me. Granted he made the most difficult art in the game seem like spotting unwashed geeks in a student union, and yes his first ball of his Ashes career was THE ball of the last century, but he will never pip my number one to the post. He just left too much of a sour taste in any Englishman’s mouth every time he ripped through our batting line-up. A bit like Diego Maradona, I bow down to his genius, I just wish he’d been a bit crap every now and again against England.

1 Mushtaq Ahmed

(Sussex & Pakistan; 1,407 wickets; 52 Tests)
I love this man, although I freely admit that before I really knew him as England’s spin bowling coach, my knowledge of him was limited to four gut-wrenching bursts of hilarity per season when Mark Ealham would once again try to cut his googly and get castled. He is always happy, a personal trait I believe to be a true gift, and as a result I just wish I could’ve played alongside him, rather than watch him single-handedly win all those trophies for that south coast minor county that Matty Prior and Luke Wright turn out for!

Jimmy Anderson was so shocked by what he witnessed as Swanny sang loud and proud while cruising in his car that he decided to share this gem with the world on YouTube.

The England spinner defended himself, tweeting: “I stand by my performance in the car of ‘young guns’, the wham masterpiece. Jimmy and cookie looked disgusted. Truly disgusted.”

We’ll let you be the judge. Click the video below to see Swanny’s serenade.

How confident is the team of defeating India in the ODI series?
“The summer has gone great for us so far and we’ll be hoping to carry that on into the one-day series. It’s a better feeling winning than losing. It’s a great test and hopefully the conditions will suit us and we can pull off a victory. It’s where we want to go in one-day cricket, to become world champions. We want to be an improving team and this is the perfect chance to start that.”

So there’s no chance of underestimating India despite their poor form?
“No, none at all. They are a world-class team so we will have to be at our absolute best to beat them. We are confident at the moment and the Twenty20 win last week has done no harm to our confidence at all.”

Do you have any sympathy towards India for the way things have gone for them so far on this tour?
“No, it’s not your place to have sympathy for the opposition. You’ve just got to turn up, play your best and win, and we’re enjoying doing that.”

England have tended to falter in ODI series following a big Test series win. Is that something you’ve spoken about as a group?
“That’s an area we really need to watch because it often can be a bit of a damp squib after the Test series and hopefully this time around it will be a positive rather than a negative end to the summer. We haven’t spoken about it yet but I’m sure we will do.”

Why have England struggled in previous one-day series, despite doing so well in the preceding Test series?
“I don’t know, to be honest. I think we’ve missed a certain x-factor with certain players but I think we are starting to get that now with blokes like Eoin Morgan and Jade Dernbach. We are starting to get those real match winners with bat and ball.”

After the Twenty20 match some members of the Indian press were predicting India won’t win a game on the tour. What did you make of that?
“Well hopefully we will continue our winning streak. It’s a good place that we’ve got ourselves into if some of the Indian press are starting to be negative about their own team. But we still know they are a world-class side and we won’t be taking anything for granted.”

A few new players have come into the one-day side. How have they settled in?
“They’ve done amazingly well, it’s as if they’ve been there all their lives and that is a testament to how well they have done. It’s easier to come into a successful squad rather than an unsuccessful one. They’ve coped well with it.”

Graeme Swann was speaking at the launch of ‘StreetChance supported by Barclays Spaces for Sports’ – an initiative that aims to tackle youth crime and anti-social behaviour by providing cricket opportunities to young people in inner-city areas.