Ashes hero Graeme Swann has come full circle since his first England tour and admitted that he nearly gave up cricket altogether.
England all-rounder contemplated ending cricket career
Ashes hero Graeme Swann has come full circle since his first England tour and admitted ahead of his return to South Africa that he nearly gave up cricket altogether during his downward spiral.
Swann, 30, made his one-day debut in the tour party of 1999-2000, but was put of out favour with coach Duncan Fletcher when he overslept and missed the team bus.
Following the incident, the off-spinner waited seven years to represent his country again.
Swann could not have predicted the magnificent return to the England fold that he has enjoyed in the last year, after contemplating ending his cricket days in order to pursue a media career when he was at Northamptonshire with his international career seemingly in ruins.
"When I was playing at Northants at the end I couldn't have been further away from playing for England," said Swann.
"I didn't even want to play cricket - for Northants or Northampton Saints, let alone England. I wanted to give up and become a hack.
"There was a lot of time when I couldn't imagine playing for England again."
Swann has since established himself as England's top slow bowler and has 12 Tests under his belt after making his debut in India late last year.
After contributing to the 2-1 Ashes victory in the summer, Swann was named in the ICC Champions Trophy squad and returned to the hotel in South Africa where he had previously overlaid.
"I woke up and thought I was an hour late but I was four hours early and suffering with jet-lag," he said.
"Since that first tour I started taking two alarm clocks everywhere but got one nicked in the West Indies. I'm back to one so if I'm late it's not my fault."
Focused
Swann is now focused on maintaining his place in the England team and defending the Ashes in Australia next year.
"I daren't look further than the next 18 months," he said.
"You're meant to say you're focusing on the next match but I want to keep performing and doing well, hopefully winning in South Africa, because to be in the team with the chance to retain the Ashes over there really whets my appetite."
Although South Africa have been labelled by some as a tougher challenge than Australia, Swann is adamant that the Ashes is the most desirable series to play in.
He expressed regret, however, that the England team were denied a proper celebration following their victory at The Oval this year.
"For an Englishman, Australia home or away is the best challenge there is - you grow up wanting to play in the Ashes," added Swann.
"They still have the best player in the world in Ricky Ponting, and Michael Clarke wasn't far behind him in the summer.
"In 2005 they deservedly got drunk for two days. That is how it should have been. Their results over the next 18 months had nothing to do with that whatsover. There were injuries and a few diminishing players at the end of their careers.
"We didn't get the chance to celebrate the Ashes, we weren't almost allowed to celebrate because it was such a public-relations thing. I'm wondering what we have to do to start celebrating."
