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England have their sights set on Michael Clarke
as the Ashes looms, knowing that a quiet series for Australia's captain
will go a long way to ensuring the urn does not change hands.
Graeme Swann is well aware of the impact that restricting the opposition captain's runs can have after watching Ricky Ponting endure a miserable series
in 2010-11. On that occasion, England also limited Clarke's output to
193 runs in five Tests - the last of which is his first in charge - and
know that this current Australia side are hugely reliant on his
performances.
Clarke is far and away Australia's leading batsman, holding together
what has often looked a callow order recently, and since returning from
the back injury that kept him out of the Champions Trophy, has made good
use of the warm-up matches against Somerset and Worcestershire with
scores of 45, 26, 62 and 124.
"He was their form batsman in England in 2009, although he didn't have
such a good series in Australia," Swann told ESPNcricinfo. "The year
he's had has been phenomenal, so we'll be hoping to cut the head off the
serpent if you like, as a captain.
"The two Ashes series I've played, and one of the main reasons we've
won, is because we've been able to make some of their best players have
poor series," he added. "Clarke and Ponting last time, and Mike Hussey,
until The Oval, in 2009.
"That's what you need to do to win big series, make sure the
match-winners in their team don't have a chance to perform. We'll have
two or three players on their team we'll definitely be looking at to
keep especially quiet - although you hope everyone on the opposition has
a poor series."
Swann fully appreciates the power that a prolific can have for a side
having watched Alastair Cook begin his full-time captaincy career in
with a consistently high return. "The best thing he's done is lead from
the front by scoring runs. There is no greater way for a team to get
behind the captain than watch him pile on the runs," Swann said.
Unsurprisingly, even though Swann is one of more forthcoming England
players, he would not be drawn much in Australia's recent problems.
However, he has always held Darren Lehmann, their new coach, in the
highest regard since the pair duelled together on the field.
"We don't know what their issues were and it's not really for us to try
and find out, although I'm sure we'd like to know, because everyone
likes a gossip," he said. "What I do know is that Darren Lehmann was a
magnificent player, second to none, only Brian Lara has been a better
player of those I've bowled against.
"They have a good man, he's a good fella. Whether that brings the team
together is probably for people to judge at the end of the summer. You
could get rid of every clique and every problem in a team, but if you
don't win it doesn't matter."
Andrew McGlashan is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo
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© ESPN EMEA Ltd.
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