Strauss motivated team for victories in warm-up matches: Swann

BLOEMFONTEIN - England spinner Graeme Swann has revealed that skipper Andrew Strauss had motivated the team for the flying start that they have got in South Africa.

England started with crushing victories in the opening two warm-up matches, a different scenario from their usual early-tour disasters, which have seen them suffer embarrassing defeats in practice games.

“Straussy said England have been terrible in warm-up games on nearly all his tours and haven’t got the practice and momentum we need. So, here he has put a big emphasis on treating them like full internationals,” The Sun quoted Swann, as saying.

The 30-year-old further said the England team was looking forward to some aggressive cricket.

“We are looking to be positive and play an exciting brand of cricket. We’ve realised whatever we’ve been trying for the last five years or so hasn’t worked - we’ve been inconsistent and we’ve got to do something about it,” Swann said.

“This is a young, vibrant squad and everyone knows they will play with freedom and aggression,” he added.

Meanwhile, Kevin Pietersen will join the team after his long break due to injury. He will land in Johannesburg on Tuesday before joining his team-mates on Wednesday after their Twenty20 match with South Africa ‘A’. (ANI)