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.
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.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
The big difference to Trott is that Swann has actually retired. With Trott it was more a case of "I just needed a break, but I'm okay now". So the talk is, can you really trust him and would you in any way consider picking him again to play for England. Swann did go once England had already lost the series. The fact that England didn't have any real replacement options on tour is a side-issue, because they had picked the person they thought to be their second best spinner also, and the fact Monty wasn't any more effective than Swan isn't really Swann's problem. Just as England picked three options to vie for the third seamer spot, none of whom were really up to it, you would have to blame the selectors more for that than Swann. If they didn't consider Monty the next best spinner in England, and therefore the best man to take over if Swann wasn't around, then why was he selected? In some ways, leaving when the team is 3-0 down in a 5 test series is a good time to go. People often talk about tests that are played after a series result is already decided as being a good time to blood new players. Of course, that's easier when playing at home as you've got more players around that can be brought in quickly. But that being said, didn't England also have some sort of development squad over here, the one Bresnan played a couple of games with, where there is always talk of having young players in that team who can come into the squad if needed? Though, if so, it seems they also didn't have the next spinners they wanted in that squad either. Again, blame the selectors for that, not Swann. Of course, the fact Swann has had plenty to say since his retirement doesn't exactly endear him to anyone, but that's another issue.
Steven McBain
Roar Guru
Missed this article over the weekend sorry. Have to say, I completely agree with it and wrote a piece on it at the time. If Swann had been playing badly and England had been 3-0 up and not down he'd have been off to Melbourne and Sydney to 'do the sprinkler' again. Many England fans save up for years for these trips and he was on the plane home before many of them had even left. He could at least have stayed around to carry drinks. Took all the adulation and money and fame but couldn't give even a single month of his life back to the fans and stuck around. Weak as.
MattyB
Guest
Swann had enough so retired,nothing really wrong with that same as Martyn.Andrew Symonds had enough played and acted accordingly and was shown the door.Peiterson kept going,acted like he always has,made the most runs yet he to is now on the scrap heap.I understand we long for this romantic loyalty but it's rarely shown in the back of the house so the players at the front should at least have this considered as we share our opinions.Trott on the other hand appears a bit of a coward and certainly at best he lacks a bit of fight.if he's brave enough to pad up to face the might of Scotland then surely Peiterson should again be forgiven and allowed to do the same
Ed Lamb
Guest
Most of the English club cricketers I know felt the same - Swann deserted England when they needed him. He got very little stick in the press considering that not only did he not see out the tour and help the more junior lads through it, but he went one better and made destabilising remarks from the outside (like the fact he thought Borthwick should be tried which must have been music to Panesar's ears). Swann got away with his actions lightly partly because of his cheeky-chappy persona. I wonder if Michael Vaughan would be laying into Jonathan Trott so much if he had a similar personality. We'll never know the details of what was going on inside the England dressing room, but in general I agree with your point - Swann let England down at a time they really could have done with his full support for just 2 more Tests. Not a lot to ask really if you put your country ahead of yourself.
Junior
Guest
Someone said it above. Massive difference between Martyn and Swann is that Martyn walked when his team was up 2-0 on its way to a 5-0 series win, while Swann abandoned ship with his team down 3-0 on the way to a 5-0 series loss. Can anyone imagine Swann raising the white flag if Team England were on top?
Lolly
Guest
I reckon that's exactly what he did. People retire at all sorts of times - on tour, at home, sometimes they get dropped or told 'sod off' on overseas tours. Lucky him to get to choose.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Martyn didn't cop much, and nor should he. He also put a media ban on himself and didn't talk to anyone - then again he was always a bit of a Howard Hughes type cricketer. very enigmatic.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Martyn was probably helped by the fact we were 2-0 up in the series at the time, admittedly, rather than 3-0 down. I agree that it would have been a better look if he’d hung around, but given what’s been coming out of the players since the tour – particularly regarding the atmosphere between some of the senior players, maybe he thought it would be a better thing if he removed himself from the picture altogether. That’s what you’re overlooking – this wasn’t a senior player removing himself from a team and having support of his mates that he’d had enough, this was a senior player in a team that was falling to bits, and he probably thought, well, sod this, it’s every man for themselves right now, and with a fat media contract probably waiting for him when he retired, he decided he’d had enough. As a retired player, Swann owes no further loyalty to anyone, and can say whatever he likes.
AlanKC
Guest
Martyn copped plenty as I recall, and by all means stand down but stick around, bowl in the nets, help support the remainder of the team, don't put more pressure on them and don't, for chrissake, just plss off home... P.S. Relevant article given Swanny appears to be the UK media's new "go to guy" when they need a headline.
Paul D
Roar Guru
So what did you expect him to do? Hang around and play two more test matches, even though he clearly didn't want to be there? Get smashed all round the MCG and the SCG before calling it a day? This article strikes me as incredibly harsh. The man had had enough. He walked away, and let someone come in who wanted to be out there. Damien Martyn did the same thing after Adelaide in 2006, and no-one lined up to take a swipe at him. I don't have a problem with him admitting his time was up - he'd done plenty for England over the years.
kazblah
Roar Guru
Really good read. Thank you.