Swann retirement leaves gaping void

The news that Graeme Swann, the England off-spinner, has retired from all international and first-class cricket with immediate effect has stunned the sporting world.

Swann’s career consisted of 60 Test matches, 79 one-day internationals (ODIs) and 39 Twenty20 matches, taking 410 wickets across all formats and 255 scalps in Test matches.

Between 2008 and 2013, this was the most Test wickets taken by any bowler in the world.

Not only this, but of the 60 Tests he played, England won 30 of them, and Swann averaged 22.00 with the ball in these victories.

But there is far more to Swann than these statistics suggest.

Swann did not have the luxury of sub-continental conditions, nor did he possess the mystery balls and variations that seemed prerequisite to bowl off-spin. Instead he relied on more traditional techniques: good flight, vicious turn and an exceptional arm ball.

It was with these that Swann commanded the respect of batsmen even on the most unhelpful of pitches.

Swann made a seismic impact on his Test debut against India in December 2008, dismissing both Gautham Gambhir and Rahul Dravid in his first over. From here Swann saw only success. Such were his achievements that within a year Swann had overtaken the role of England’s first-choice spinner from Monty Panesar; a role he would hold till his retirement, and a role which would be pivotal to England’s rise to the world’s best Test side.

It is testament to his reputation that Australia targeted Swann so conspicuously in the ongoing Ashes series, which Darren Lehmann’s men lead 3-0 at the time of writing. Australia knew that if they were to dominate an English attack they would first have to negate the threat of Graeme Swann.

The tactic perhaps led to Swann’s decision to retire. Swann is a naturally competitive cricketer, and to see him so deject as Australia plundered 22 runs from what would be the final over he bowled in international cricket surely set alarm bells ringing in the minds of England supporters and management.

A pillar of English cricket had crumbled, and the rest of the unit duly followed.

Allied to his adept slip catching and the ability to score quick runs batting at nine, and the true loss sustained by England begins to be revealed. Swann truly is the greatest spinner England has produced

But where does Swann stand in relation to spinners of the past? Certainly he hasn’t claimed as many wickets as Derek Underwood, who took 297 Test wickets, and his average is higher than that of Jim Laker: Swann’s was 25.4 compared to Laker’s 21.25.

But to have not bettered these players is down to misfortune rather than ability. Swann started his Test career at the age of 29 and was plagued with elbow injuries; his career was one which flowered late and finished prematurely. Had he been able to break through earlier, or play for longer, it is certain Swann would have taken more wickets than Underwood.

Similarly it is unreasonable to compare the averages of Swann and Laker, for much has changed between the respective eras. Swann has had to contend with smaller boundaries, better bats and covered pitches offering less assistance to bowlers. In such conditions, to average under 30 is truly commendable.

It is also worth noting that Swann not only succeeded in the longest format of the game, but enjoyed great accomplishments in the shorter formats too. Swann even held (albeit briefly) the number one ranking for bowlers in ODI and T20.

Add to this his adept slip catching and the ability to score quick runs batting at nine, and the true loss sustained by England begins to be revealed. Swann truly is the greatest spinner England has produced.

To fill the void which Swann has left will come as a great challenge to England. There are, however, several able prospects. Swann has earmarked 23-year-old Durham spinner Scott Borthwick in particular, saying the leg spinner has ‘a bit of an X factor’.

For the sake of English cricket, we can only hope that he delivers.