Swann backs under-fire Broad and tips England to show their true colours
ENGLAND spinner Graeme Swann insists he and his team-mates are taking little notice of the criticism that has come their way during the one-day series against Sri Lanka.
England won the opening game of the five-match contest at the Oval but have since been comprehensively beaten at Headingley and Lord’s to leave them needing to win the remaining two games, starting at Trent Bridge today, if they are to claim the series against the impressive beaten World Cup finalists.
Pundits have been critical of the balance of Andy Flower’s side, particularly having captain Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott in the top three, but Swann insists that the hosts just need to rediscover the form of their comfortable win at Surrey last week.
He said: “We know we have to win the next two games to win the series and we are more than capable of that. We need to replicate the form we showed at the Oval and put the last two games to the back of our minds.
“I think we will start looking at changes when our management team and coaches think the order needs tweaking. It would be dangerous to make changes because someone said so in the commentary box.”
Meanwhile, struggling Broad, who was also fined for showing “serious dissent” towards umpire Billy Bowden at Headingley, is remaining upbeat, according to Swann.
“He is positive,” he said. “He was disappointed with how the game finished at Headingley but he has fire in his belly and that’s what you need.
“I want to see fast bowlers running in and bowling bouncers and bowling at up to 90mph.”