“The Mirror” on England’s recent Woes

The UK Mirror Newspaper delves deep into England’s recent woes

‘Public humiliation’: Swann says England have paid for First Test defeatThe off-spinner says the team may not be evolving quick enough after becoming number one in the world

Dismal record: Swann admits England have struggled, but does not know why

AP

Graeme Swann has admitted England got a kick up the ­backside for failing to take the next step as World No.1.

The England off-spinner was in a reflective mood when he conceded the First Test innings defeat to the South ­Africans was an embarrassment. And after reaching the pinnacle of Test cricket he questioned whether he and his team-mates stood still while others were catching them up.

“It’s the old kick up the a**e isn’t it?” admitted Swann. “You can approach everything holistically and be a bit trendy lefty about things, but sometimes a size ten up the ­backside is what you need.

“It was a sort of public humiliation by the end of it, fielding that long and then getting skittled ­afterwards.

“I can’t deny that since we’ve been number one we have a dismal record. Whether that goes hand-in-hand with being number one I don’t really know.

“We’re not doing anything ­differently. Perhaps that’s it, perhaps we’re not evolving quickly enough.”