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Graeme Swann - we know what you did last summer

Graeme Swann has popped up on our radios, giving an insight into what life in the England set-up was like during his tenure. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
Roar Guru
20th March, 2014
11

Jonathan Trott. Who knows what happened there. Who knows if he needed to go home. Who knows if he just wanted to go home. Was it stress, fatigue, depression, fear? Who knows.

There are 99.94 theories out there and this week’s one-on-one interview with a remarkably relaxed Ian Ward only made things foggier.

Graeme Swann? That’s a different matter. With him, the jury has never been more in.

Swann was everyone’s favourite lad. He had it all – a cheeky rogue who, when he wasn’t cracking gags or Instagramming with Jimmeh, was trademarking hilarious propeller dances.

On the field, he was bamboozling quality Test batsmen through a combination of guile and wicked turn. In the era of the all-conquering Paul Harris, Swann was even considered the best spin bowler in the world. Life was grand.

Then he walks out. That’s right, mid-tour. Just like Trott. Only there was no talk of a stress-related illness. No talk of fatigue. No talk of any career-ending injury. No uncertainty whatsoever.

No, Graeme was just a little bit over it. A little bit tired of losing. Swann, who owed his livelihood to the game and to his supporters, couldn’t stir himself for one final tilt at the old enemy after a rampant Mitchell Johnson and co. had dismantled England.

Seven wickets at 80 in three Tests will do that to you. Seven wickets at 80 and the very real prospect of being cut will do that to you. At least it will if your name starts with Graeme and ends with Swann.

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So where is the criticism of Swann? Where is the anger? Where is the analysis?

The apologists in the England cricket media are too busy lining up interviews with Trott to work out why he left the tour to worry about having a crack at Swann. Sure the criticism was there, but if you missed it, it’s because you blinked.

In all likelihood Swann will end up behind the Sky microphones, telling gags and hamming it up without a shred of guilt for his actions.

Will he ever be brought to account in the same way that Trott has? Not a chance.

As solid a player as he was and as popular a bloke as he’s purported to be, Graeme Swann will forever be remembered as the good-time guy who turned his back on his country, his teammates and his supporters when they needed him most.

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