‘Livid’ England players didn’t want to play against ‘fixers’ Pak at Lord’s: Swann
September 25th, 2010 - 1:32 pm ICT by ANILondon, Sep 25(ANI): England off-spinner Graeme Swann has revealed that he was one of a number of English players who almost pulled out of Monday’s ODI against Pakistan at Lord’s.
Swann said that fresh ’spot-fixing’ allegations against both teams after last Friday’s ODI at The Oval had created turmoil in the dressing room.
“I didn’t want to play at all in the one-dayer on Monday. I won’t lie about that, I was dead against playing. I wasn’t alone, plenty of others had strong reservations. I couldn’t wait for the games to end,” The BBC quoted Swann, as saying.
The off-spinner further said that he had to be persuaded by England captain Andrew Strauss.
Strauss told him that “the best thing we could do was get on with it as a team and make sure we won the series”.
“He was proved to be right,” Swann added.
England lost the Lord’s ODI, but won the final match at the Rose Bowl Stadium by 121 runs to win the five-match series 3-2.
It concluded Pakistan’s near three-month-long tour of England, which had been marred by ’spot-fixing’ allegations. (ANI)
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Tags: allegations, andrew strauss, bbc, dayer, dressing room, england captain, england players, final match, games, last friday, london, odi, pakistan, rose bowl, rose bowl stadium, series 3, spinner, swann, turmoil