Swann leads calls for Panesar inclusion in test team

15 Jan, 2012

Graeme Swann would like to see Monty Panesar included in England's test team to play Pakistan next week after his fellow spinner dismantled a Pakistan Cricket Board XI in their final warm-up. Panesar, who played his last test match in July 2009, took 5-57 in the first innings followed by 3-46 as England won the practice match which ended in Dubai on Friday by 100 runs.
"I like the rhythm of spinners at each end and I'd go with two in this part of the world," Swann told the BBC. "Monty has done himself no harm and given (coach) Andy Flower and (captain) Andrew Strauss a tough decision." The Sussex bowler has taken 126 wickets in 39 test matches at an average of 34.37 but has not featured for England since the Ashes test against Australia in Cardiff in July 2009. "He's shown he can be a match winner when he's back to his best," Swann added. "I spin the ball in, he spins it away and a partnership like that can be formidable." The first of England's three tests against Pakistan gets underway on Tuesday in Dubai, after which they will play four one-day internationals and three Twenty20s.

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