Swann delighted with milestone wicket
August 20, 2010 10:54:19 UK
Graeme Swann could not hide his delight at claiming his 100th Test wicket to cap an eventful week for the England spinner.
The 31-year-old began the week in court answering a drink-driving charge, and was yesterday added to the shortlist for the Cricketer of the Year award after initially being overlooked by the ICC.
Swann then claimed his 100th Test wicket in the same number of Tests as legendary Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne, when he took a return catch from Pakistan's Mohammad Yousuf.
Match betting for the third Test now has England at 1.001, with Pakistan 1.001 and the draw 1.001.
Yousuf had been threatening a big score after hitting a fine 56, but Swann struck and later admitted that the identity of the batsmen had provided extra reason for cheer.
"I'm delighted to get Yousuf," he said.
"It was the first time I've played against him, the first time I've seen him bat first hand and he played like the class player he is.
"So to get him as my 100th is great, he'd probably be the name on their team sheet I'd have picked at the start of the game."
He added: "I only realised I was on 97 today because my mum told me. She was only coming to see me get 100.
"She was off to the proms tonight, so I was glad I could get it before tea so she could get off!"
Regarding the confusion over his ICC nomination, or lack of, he said: "I saw on TV that I was on the list and I was expecting congratulations in the dressing room but all I got was the mickey taken that I wasn't in to start with."
While pleased with his own efforts, Swann remained focused on a precarious match situation that sees England six for one overnight - 69 runs adrift.
"There's no doubt about it, we're behind the eight ball a little bit because of the deficit, but it's still a cracking batting track," he said after helping dismiss the tourists for 308.
"We'll be hoping to put a big total up second time round. We can't bat as badly as we did in our first innings and we need to get a decent total to give ourselves a platform to win the game."
In-play betting will be available throughout the third Test.
View all Cricket betting