Cricket: Swann backs Broad

LONDON: Graeme Swann has rejected claims that his teammate Stuart Broad needs a prolonged rest from international cricket, insisting that the fast-bowler is just suffering a spell of bad luck.

Broad was left out of the team for the decisive fifth One-Day-International against Sri Lanka, with Jade Dernbach preferred by selectors. “I don’t think he needs a rest,” said Swann. “Broady’s a good mate of mine and a county colleague at Notts, he’ll go away this week and then he’ll be back I’m sure. He’s had a lot of bad luck recently. I’ll say that for him, it’s not excuses; he’s not had the rub of the green.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 12^th, 2011.