England / Ralph Ellis / 14 December 2010 /

Why was Graeme Swann's behavior during England's match aginst Victoria significant? And what did the off-spinner have to say about Kevin Pietersen's speeding fine? It's all good for England's prospects, says Ralph Ellis.

There were some good things for England about the drawn game with Victoria in Melbourne that filled a gap between the Adelaide Test and tomorrow's encounter in Perth - most obviously Matt Prior's well crafted century that rebuilt his confidence after being the middle victim of Peter Siddle's first day hat-trick.

But I spotted something else which underlined the special spirit which seems to have been generated in this touring team by coach Andy Flower. It was Graeme Swann, a few days after taking the five-wicket haul that put England one-up in the Ashes, running out to Prior with a drinks bottle and a change of gloves.

If anything could emphasise that Flower and captain Andrew Strauss have built in their dressing room a Musketeers culture - all for one and one for all -it was that. Swann, a 30-year-old senior pro, could have moaned and insisted on a rest when he wasn't playing, could have sulked at being made to act as a waiter for the lesser lights in the squad. Instead he turned his hands to the chore with the same spirit with which he'd turned his arm over with the ball in Adelaide.

Swann is interviewed at length in today's Daily Mail and his thoughts on England's team spirit make interesting reading. Does Jimmy Anderson being allowed home to be with his wife for the birth of their daughter mean Flower has gone soft? Not a bit of it. His wife Sarah is expecting their first baby in February and he's already negotiated time off before the start of the World Cup.

What about Kevin Pietersen being nicked for speeding in a Lamborghini? Swann says: "Some will look and say 'what a plonker', but I love it because it means he's back to his best form."

And most of all on the pressure of being the man expected to take wickets: "If that preys on your mind and you don't like having to bowl sides out then you are in the wrong job."
I suggested backing Swann to be England's top Ashes wicket taker a few weeks ago when the price was [2.8]. It's [1.71] now - but there's still value in taking [2.0] for him to be the top wicket taker overall. After all, no Australian is looking likely to challenge.

Certainly not Michael Beer, the left arm spinner brought into the Aussies squad with only six first class games behind him. While Swann is a man on top of his game and brimful of confidence, Beer himself has admitted he's not sure if he's ready for Test cricket.
It seems to me that Australia's reputation is still scaring people. They are looking at the name rather than the team and that has left some massive value in the betting.

Why should the Aussies, having been so comprehensively thrashed in Adelaide, be [2.7] joint favourite to win in Perth. I laid them happily at [3.2] a couple of days ago and I've gone back for more at the new price. Who is going to take 20 wickets for them? Not when England's batting is in such superb form all down the order. Prior's ton in Melbourne means all the top seven have made centuries on tour except Paul Collingwood - who missed out when he'd reached 94.

Another mystery is that in the head to head first innings betting Ricky Ponting, who has scratched together 70 in four trips to the crease so far, is the same price at [1.96] as Kevin Pietersen who has hit 200 more in only two innings. Frankly the most likely way KP won't score more is if, like in the second innings in Brisbane, he never gets the chance to bat because Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott have stayed in all day!



Five things you might not know about Michael Beer

1.Born June 1984 in Melbourne, his middle name is Anthony (named after his dad)

2.Dad Tony was also a left-arm spinner who played more than 400 games for local club Malvern. They played in the same side when Michael was 16.

3.He'll be the first player from the Malvern club, established in 1859, to play Test cricket - although Jack Ellis toured England in 1926 but never got picked

4.His nickname, not surprisingly, is "Frothy"

5.If he wins a Cricket Australia contract he'll nearly treble his current earnings of 77,000 dollars a year

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