Strauss admits to missing Swann
August 07, 2012 08:50:32 UK
England captain Andrew Strauss admitted that his side had missed the influence of omitted off-spinner Graeme Swann in the drawn second Test with South Africa.
Strauss' side fielded a four-man pace attack at Headingley, with Steven Finn stepping in for Swann, who may have had an effect on the final outcome, especially with part-time spinner Kevin Pietersen taking three wickets on the final day.
We probably missed Graeme in the second half of the game.
Andrew Strauss
"We probably misjudged the wicket a little bit and it didn't do as much as we would have liked," Strauss said.
"If it had done a bit more and we had taken a couple of early wickets then the strategy would have worked, but in the end South Africa played well and we probably missed Graeme in the second half of the game."
England now need to win the final Test of three at Lord's to draw the series 1-1 and maintain their position at the top of the world Test rankings.
England are 3.75 to win the third Test, with the draw 2.50, while South Africa are 2.62 to triumph at Lord's and take the series by a 2-0 margin.
Meanwhile, Proteas skipper Graeme Smith has vowed that his side will go into the Lord's encounter looking to win the game, having declared on the final day at Headingley to try and put England under more pressure.
He added: "We showed with our declaration what our mindset is and I don't see it changing it Lord's at all. If anything, we will take a step forward."
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