Swann mentors young spinners
THE latest batch of spin talent in England was shown how it’s done this week with Graeme Swann working with the England Lions ahead of their winter programme.
Swann, 37, spent a day at Loughborough as the Lions finalised their preparations ahead of a winter schedule that will put a hefty emphasis on spin, with matches against the UAE and Afghanistan before a five-week tour of Sri Lanka in the New Year.
Swann, who made 60 Test appearances for England, worked in the nets with Ollie Rayner, Jack Leach and Tom Westley, honing their skills.
The former off-spinner said: “Andy Flower and Peter Such asked me to get involved to talk to the spinners. Not so much coaching, probably mentoring I suppose – talk to them about bowling in the Sub-continent before they go. And then talk to all the Lions lads about playing for England, what it means, and any little pointers I can help with.
“It’s not a technical thing, I’m not a technical coach, never have been – I was never a technical bowler, I didn’t like getting too deep down and dirty. It’s about bowling and knowing the game, and what I can give them to help them move on to the next level.
“I’m happy to do whatever I can to get us ahead of the world.We should be ahead of the world – we’ve got better resources than anyone.
“We’ve got better players than anyone, I’m convinced of it. There’s no talent pool better than the one we’ve got in England. So let’s use it.”
There are a number of young spinners on overseas placements in Australia and New Zealand this winter funded by the ECB, while the County Championship will continue with the new toss rule in 2017.
And Swann believes there are plenty more things that can be done to help tweakers of the ball in this country.
He added: “It’s the game as a whole. The entire system, and the way we think about cricket.
“From county cricket, county scheduling, the whole pitch thing – there should be three or four places in the country where it spins square. Playing four-day cricket, it should be actively encouraged, rather than frowned upon still.
“It happens around the world – and the more places we go now the more places it will turn square because teams like us and Australia aren’t comfortable against it.”