Graeme Swann 'did not want to play' Pakistan at Lord's

[TATA]

Graeme Swann 'did not want to play' Pakistan at Lord's

Spinner Graeme Swann has revealed he was one of a number of England players who almost pulled out of Monday's one-dayer against Pakistan at Lord's.

Fixing allegations against both teams after last Friday's ODI at The Oval created turmoil in the dressing room.

"I didn't want to play at all in the one-dayer on Monday," Swann stated.

"I won't lie about that, I was dead against playing. I wasn't alone, plenty of others had strong reservations. I couldn't wait for the games to end."

The final day of the fourth and final Test at Lord's in August had been overshadowed by claims Pakistan's bowlers had purposely overstepped for no-balls - causing shockwaves through the sport.

A month later, the one-day international at the same famous ground was played out against the backdrop of a fresh scandal.

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt had accused England of throwing the match at The Oval for "enormous amounts of money". The England and Wales Cricket Board has denied the allegations.

Butt's remarks came after the International Cricket Council had opened an investigation into "scoring patterns" by Pakistan batsmen in the same game. Writing in The Sun, Swann said his reluctance to play for his country at the home of cricket was "a dreadful feeling and one I never want to experience again."

Ijaz Butt's comments were as offensive as they could possibly be... we felt powerless as players

Graeme Swann

The bowler added that he had to be persuaded by England captain Andrew Strauss that "the best thing we could do was get on with it as a team and make sure we won the series. He was proved to be right."

Swann also claimed the England team had been subjected to unpleasant "taunts" on leaving The Oval three days before the Lord's match.

"People wearing the green shirts of Pakistan were slagging us off. It wound us up but added to the feeling of euphoria on Wednesday night when we won the final match to clinch the series," Swann said.

"I'm relieved the series against Pakistan is over. With all the claims flying around, there were times when I just wanted the summer to go away, even though I've been bowling better than at any stage in my career in recent weeks."

Swann was England's star bowler in the series with 11 wickets and has now risen to number three in the world one-day rankings.

On Thursday, the ECB announced the squad to defend the Ashes in Australia this winter, with Swann, shortlisted for world player of the year, included.

But earlier in the day the national board had confirmed it would take Butt to court if it does not get a "full and unreserved apology" from the PCB chief.

Nottinghamshire off-spinner Swann added: "Mr Butt's comments were as offensive as they could possibly be. They went against everything I stand for as a professional sportsman.

Every time we went out of the hotel people passed remarks against us

"We felt powerless as players because as soon as somebody says something like that, and it is read by cricket followers, our names are sullied.

"You can't go around accusing people and pointing fingers with completely unsubstantiated claims. In the civilised world, it is not something that should happen.

"I hope Mr Butt sees sense and retracts his claims otherwise there must be severe consequences for him."

Swann is turning his attention to a four-day bonding trip with the Ashes squad and management.

"The players won't be told the destination until we arrive at the airport. I just hope we're going to Las Vegas or the Munich Beer Festival."

Meanwhile, Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi called the scandal-laden tour the "most difficult" of his 14-year international career as the team staged a low-key return home after four gruelling months away.

Afridi said: "It was tough because of the controversies and became very difficult to cope with, because every time we went out of the hotel people passed remarks against us."

BBC Sport - Cricket - Graeme Swann 'did not want to play' Pakistan at Lord's

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

let these poor, oppressed and insulted Britishers whine no problem for Pakistan

we have an upcoming tourny with South Africans and that will be more worthy of our team's time anyways....

Ejaz butt makes a comment, and suddenly they are flapping their arms and making noises --trying to resort to litigation and financial settlements to heal their bruised egos. And dont get me wrong, Ejaz butt is nothing but an incompetent lizard


swan says "You can't go around accusing people and pointing fingers with completely unsubstantiated claims. In the civilised world, it is not something that should happen.''


maybe him, and the cheap Britisher tabloids can keep that in mind next time they point their fingers at Pakistan? We all know that this whole fiasco has become far too politicised than anything else.

 

[mjnaushad]

So one allegation upset them so much.....You can consider in what pressure Pakistan was playing.....and still won 2 matches....

 

[ice_man]

well if PAKISTAN wins its because england were not in "the right frame of mind"! and if we lose is because england played well! even though we tried to tamper in that game!

honestly i hate england be it soccer or cricket! they just never stop crying & whining & complaing! get on the with the bloody game stop making excuses!

the south africans never do such cheap tactics! they know they are a good team so they prove there mettle on the pitch unlike england!!!

 

[silent hill]

few 'days of glory' for these english and indians, and they are already jumping like they were especially no 1 for ever, every one was looking foreward for aussies to do a complete clean sweep in the last ashes and the one before these english indeed got humiliated by 5-0 clean sweep, look at the english performance, in the last world cups since 1992, 1992 was a humiliation to them by pakistanis, when pakistanis shattered their day dreaming. look at their records, they have been sissies since then. by performance, neither indians nor english should have moral grace to shout like they do now

actually the real cricket fans who dwell in the country called pakistan are shocked the amount of bravery shown but BCCI and ECB and esp ICC these days, because these countries neither have the potential nor courage to prduce the real talents and we are not the one who earn glory by organizing cheap publicity events like IPL or by claiming that we have invented this game.

ignoring pakistan cricket in world cricket is equalent to serve a stew beef without a beef, so good luck by ignoring pakistan, and surely this will elivate the status of international cricket..

 

[hecj]

few 'days of glory' for these english and indians, and they are already jumping like they were no 1 for ever, look at the english performance, in the last world cups since 1992, 1992 was a humiliation to them by pakistanis, when pakistani shattered their dreams. look at their records, they have been sitting ducks since then. by performance, neither indians nor english should have moral grace to shout like they do now

how it is related now??when u enjoyed ur era,let others to do so.

 

[Stumper]

....few 'days of glory' for these english and indians, and they are already jumping like they were especially no 1 for ever

.... look at their records, they have been sissies since then. by performance, neither indians nor english should have moral grace to shout like they do now

What bothers me as a individual is that it does not bother you a bit that your players have been repeatedly accused of wrong doings. Instead of taking corrective actions, your board has repeatedly turned a blind eye to this menace (I have a similar grudge with BCCI for turning a blind eye to Indian players cribbs).

actually the real cricket fans who dwell in the country called pakistan are shocked the amount of bravery shown but BCCI and ECB and esp ICC these days, because these countries neither have the potential nor courage to prduce the real talents and we are not the one who earn glory by organizing cheap publicity events like IPL or by claiming that we have invented this game.

Oh Give us a break. Your own players are to be blamed for the state of pakistan cricket today. Stop looking outside. English have worked hard on its cricket. Indians have done the same. And with the kind of talents you have, just get a better administration ...and no doubt you guys will rock the cricket world. Excuses dont get results. Hard work does.

ignoring pakistan cricket in world cricket is equalent to serve a stew beef without a beef, so good luck by ignoring pakistan, and surely this will elivate the status of international cricket.

Tell me, why shouldnt Pakistan be ignored with the current adamant behavior of PCB? .... As soon as this scandal broke out, PCB went in a denial mode. Instead of taking corrective actions, it defended the players (And no, its not new. It did the same with previous inquiry commission). Instead of acting as a guardian of cricket sport, it has been seen more of a political body adamant on showcasing pakistan players in the white light.

PCB alienated English board by the latest outburst. Australia will not forget the howard incident. The subcontinent are already against PCB. Who else remains mate? ... NZL, WI ?

Best bet for PCB is to take a measured and corrective action against the guilty players. Let the world know that you mean business.

 

[Super Falcon]

swannn will get harsh treatment when he play against pakistan in asian pitches im sure for this