The Adelaide Test is the 11th Test that Panesar and Swann are playing together. Panesar is usually picked as the 2nd spinner. In England’s first bowling innings in these 10 Tests, Panesar has consistently bowled more than Swann. Panesar averages 33 overs per first innings, to Swann’s 26. In England’s 2nd innings in these matches, they bowl about the same number of overs. Panesar has bowled 22, to Swann’s 21.
It makes tactical sense to use the slow left armer (SLA) when the wicket is less helpful for spinners, especially against right handers. It is easier for the SLA to keep the runs down especially if he has good control of length. But it is peculiar that the senior, more experienced, more attacking spinner is bowled less than the 2nd spinner who only plays when 2 specialist spinners are warranted.
I have long felt that this is the type of thing which helps Swann’s record. Swann rarely has to do the stock role. Among the top 50 spinning wicket takers in the 1st innings in Tests, only Stuart MacGill and Paul Adams among modern specialist spinners have bowled less.
In Tests where England play 2 spinners, Swann bowls slightly more, but Panesar bowls significantly more. Whats more, their returns are not significantly different.
These figures are also noteworthy in the context of how Swann is seen in England, as opposed to how Panesar is seen in England. Swann is seen as the great attacking bowler, England’s best in more than a generation, while Panesar is seen as something of a clown. Daniel Norcross of Test Match Sofa described him as a club quality cricketer who happens to be a Test quality spinner.
Swann’s record suggests that he has been coddled a little bit by England captains. But it also has something to do with the strength of England’s fast bowling attack. England are rarely in a position where Swann has to wheel away trying to provide respectability to the English attack in conditions which are not helpful for his style of bowling – a position Muralitharan, Kumble and Harbhajan Singh found themselves in regularly, especially in first innings of Tests.
When we look at these bowlers career records, this statistic is worth keeping in mind.
