Swann: Bayliss has given England wings

Cricket365
December 17, 2015

After winning the four-match ODI and T20 series against Pakistan in the UAE, former England spinner Graeme Swann has hailed the team's new approach to limited-overs cricket.

The Three Lions beat the Asian side three-one in the 50-over format while they lead the T20 series two-nil with one match still to play.

Swann, who took 104 wickets in 79 ODIs for England, has credited coach Trevor Bayliss for the work he has done with the side since they were knocked out in the group stages of the World Cup earlier this year.

Bayliss, an Australian, has previously won the Indian Premier League and Big Bash League as coach of domestic sides around the world.

Swann told the ECB website: "I think there has always been match-winners in English teams but not always being given the wings to fly.

"We were undoubtedly stuck in our ways for a long time and relying on an older method which provided mediocre results – it didn't set the world on fire.

"This team have just lifted it all up and started again and that's brilliant. These guys win games day-in, day-out for their counties – England players have actually always done that – but now they are being empowered to do that on the international stage and that is brilliant.

"Being the head coach of a national team that is 90 per cent of the job – convincing guys that whatever they've done to get there in the first place is good enough and you don't have to change your script.

"That seems to be what Trevor Bayliss has been doing so far and the one-day series that we are having at the minute and have just had was brilliant."