England-Australia: Swann rested for last two ODIs

Rain denies hosts chance to go top.

BIRMINGHAM: England’s Graeme Swann will miss the final two matches in the One-Day International (ODI) series against Australia, allowing him to rest his sore bowling arm, confirmed the national selector Geoff Miller.

Swann, a mainstay of the England side in all three international formats, will be replaced by off-spinner James Tredwell for the concluding fixtures of a five-match series against Australia at Chester-le-Street and Manchester tomorrow and Tuesday respectively.

England have also called up seamer Chris Waokes, drafted in for Wednesday’s abandoned match against Australia at his Edgbaston home ground, where rain meant not one ball was bowled, while Jade Dernbach and Stuart Meaker attended the funeral of their former Surrey teammate Tom Maynard.

Dernbach will be unavailable for the final two matches as well because of a side strain.

Miller said the team management had always intended to give Swann a break after the Edgbaston match, where the wash-out left England 2-0 up with two to play in the series.

Former England off-spinner Miller added the decision had been made with a view to Swann being fit for the upcoming three-Test series with South Africa, where England will put their world number one status on the line.

“We had earmarked the fourth and fifth matches in this series as an opportunity to rest Swann regardless of the result at Edgbaston, because we have to consider our preparations for the Test series later this month,” said Miller.

“Swann has some pain in his elbow at the moment and we feel that an extra week’s rest will allow his elbow to settle. Woakes replaces Dernbach, who has been ruled out with a side strain.”

All-rounder Samit Patel (Nottinghamshire) and batsman Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire) have been released for the Twenty20 match between their respective counties.

Rain scuppers England’s quest for top spot

Meanwhile, England’s hopes of becoming the world’s top-ranked ODI side during their series against Australia were ended after rain washed out the third ODI.

England had to sweep this contest 5-0 to replace current table-toppers Australia at the head of the 50-over standings and so become the first team to be number one in all three formats, with the side already at the summit of the Test and Twenty20 rankings. This washout means England cannot now lose the series.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 6^th, 2012.