Commenting to journalists on the upcoming series, the England spinner said he’s gunning for a 5-0 series whitewash, a knighthood and if allowed to go on probably the key to The Crown Jewells. 

“If we do well in the next seven weeks, we can get swept up in the euphoria and end up with MBEs,” he said tongue-in-cheek, before realising a bunch of his teammates got MBEs after they won the 2005 Ashes. 

“No, hang on, let’s say knighthoods, let’s dream big. Yeah, why not, we win 5-0, I take 50 wickets, get knighted and become PM in five years’ time!”

Careful what you wish for champ!

Swann is considered the most potent bowling weapon for the hosts as the hot weather dries up the Test pitches, meaning they’ll respond to spin in his favour.

Yet as he trundles in hoping to destroy the dreams of an upset for the young Aussie line-up, he’ll have a thought for those cheering him on. 

“If I wasn’t playing in this series I’d be standing in a pub come Wednesday afternoon for six weeks solid cheering on England,” he said.  

There’d be plenty of Australians happy to buy him a pint so he’d do that instead.

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