England frustrated at inability to recover one-day form

GRAEME SWANN has admitted England’s frustration at being unable to recapture their impressive form of last summer in the current one-day series against India.

The manner in which England bulldozed to a 4-0 victory on home soil against South Africa suggested they had finally become a one-day side to respect, but just a few months later they have been hammered in the opening two encounters of this seven-match series.

It has left the tourists desperate to reverse the trend in today’s third match at Green Park, with Nottinghamshire off-spinner Swann drafted into the squad to give them more options.

“We’ve done everything right in practice; we’ve hit the ground running in preparation, and it’s just one of those things that we haven’t clicked yet on the field. It’s been as frustrating for us as it has for the fans back home,” said Swann.

“I think it’s been frustrating for everyone in the England camp.

“We played some really good cricket at the back end of the summer in England and we haven’t been able to hit the ground running over here — which is obviously what we intended to do.”

Swann has not featured for England since playing against New Zealand at Lord’s last summer, but another pitch likely to favour spin has given him a better chance to force his way into the team tomorrow.

England are yet to decide whether to use him as a straight replacement for Nottinghamshire team-mate Samit Patel, who has been preferred to him in the opening matches, or as a second spinner.

With Ravi Bopara missing training yesterday because of a stomach upset, either alternative is a possibility.

If given his chance, Swann is confident he can make an impression.

“Because I haven’t played in those first two, should I get into the XI, I can walk out and see it as a fresh series. The series in Sri Lanka last year was five matches — a good length for a spin bowler,” said Swann, who intimated that it wasn’t too tiring but was also not long enough for batsmen to ‘work him out’.

Swann’s county team-mate Ryan Sidebottom was also unable to bowl at yesterday’s practice session, having reported discomfort on the team’s arrival in Kanpur on Tuesday.

He was taken for a scan last night, but the results were inconclusive.

England will monitor him over the next few days before deciding on a further course of action.