Graham Swann remembered
Today we had the news that Graham Swann had retired from all forms of cricket with immediate effect.
Whether he should have stayed in the team and toughed it out is a matter of opinion, with Jonathan Trott heading home with stress after the first test and now Swann going after the third test, England have lost a couple of senior players and face a couple of tough games "playing for pride," but let's not go there.
I had seen Swann on TV during the 2008/9 series in India, where he started taking wickets in the first over of a spell. The first time i saw him play live was the 2009 Lord's test against the West Indians, where Ravi Bopara made 143 on debut and Graham Onions took a 5-38, also on debut.
Swann coming in from warm up at Lords 2009
In that game, Swann scored 63 in the England first innings and took three wickets in each innings and was man of the match.
Graeme Swann bowling action
Swann goes up for an appeal - and gets the wicket
Swann batting
Man of the match
I've gone on to watch Graeme Swann in many matches over the last four years, some have been hugely successful and others less so. Later in 2009, he played in England's early attempt at wearing red for ODIs during which they were royaly thumped.
England vs Australia
September 2009 at Lord's
At other times Swann has played in the more traditional England blue, sporting what looked pretty close to a mullet hairdo.
The last Time I saw Swann at Lord's wasn't playing for England, but one of his now rare turn-outs for Nottinghamshire, during the YB40 final.
Swann in the YB40 final 2013
We will all miss Swanny and I expect the timing of his retirement will be debated for some time, but let's not forget his 60 tests and 255 wickets, which have included 17 five wicket hauls and three 10 wicket hauls. He's also played 79 ODIs and taken 104 wickets. There's also the small matter of 1370 test runs and a nice round 500 ODI runs too.
As he moves out of the team, he leaves a gap and at the moment the only person who is likely to fill it is the man who preceded him in the England line up. Someone who I hope will reap the rewards.
