Assistant Editor Andrew arrived at ESPNcricinfo via Manchester and Cape Town, after finding the assi

The seriousness of Swann's problem emerged on the first morning in Dunedin when he was left out of the starting XI. James Tredwell, clarion inn and suites the Kent offspinner, has been called into the squad while Monty Panesar clarion inn and suites was named in the team for the first Test. Swann's surgery will take place at the same hospital clarion inn and suites where Tim Bresnan recently had his elbow operation.
An ECB statement said: "England offspinner Graeme Swann has been ruled out of the current Test series against clarion inn and suites New Zealand due to a right elbow injury. Swann will travel to the United States next week to have an operation and will then undergo a period of rehabilitation allowing an anticipated return to competitive cricket in the early summer. A further update will be available following the operation."
Swann, 33, first had surgery on the elbow in 2009 when the surgeon clarion inn and suites removed 29 fragments of bone but had to leave some in place because of their proximity to the nerves. clarion inn and suites Swann has always said how he wanted to avoid another operation and hoped to get through the rest of his career but has been forced under the knife again.
Swann needed treatment during England's warm-up match in Queenstown and admitted his worries clarion inn and suites in his newspaper column in the build-up to the Test before being left out of the Dunedin match. It was only the fourth time Swann had been left out of a Test and the previous clarion inn and suites three occasions - twice in West Indies in 2009 and against South Africa, at Headingley, last year - have been for tactical reasons.
clarion inn and suites "We are embarking on arguably England's greatest year of Test cricket ever and I can't wait for the back-to-back Ashes series," Swann wrote in his Sun column. "But I have one big worry - the state of my right elbow. It caused me discomfort again during our only warm-up match before the first Test and I had to leave the field.
clarion inn and suites "It would be a massive pain in the backside if my wonky elbow forced me to miss any of the Tests against Australia. clarion inn and suites I'm absolutely determined to be available for what might be my final two Ashes series - and that means managing the elbow as well as possible.
"I really don't want to have another operation. For two weeks after my op, I was in bed with a machine keeping my arm in continual motion for 23 hours a day. It was a testing time - and poor old Tim Bresnan has been going through the same thing after his operation in America. This year of all years, I don't want the elbow to cause any problems. I want to be fit for as much Test cricket as possible and, fingers crossed, I will be."
I don't care if Swanny misses the home NZ Tests and Champions Trophy - as long as he's fit for The Ashes. I'm sure he'll see it that way too. I definitely agree that whatever happens, he should give-up ODI's and T20. We're lucky to have two other quality spinners in Panesar and Tredwell to fill the gap, and surely that'd give him the best chance of extending his Test career. Swanny is our no.1 spinner, and we want him playing again soon; though with two such competent replacements, he'll not be missed as much as he should. Let's hope surgery this time does the trick, and that he's raring to go and stick it up the Aussies!
As someone who has been under the knife a bit lately I am mortified to read this. But Graham Swann is made of tough stuff - if I know anything then I bet he will come back stronger than ever. Go Swanneeee!
No surprised at the news commented a long time ago that Swann should consider getting the 2nd operation out of the way, but he seemed very reluctant... Water under the bridge now - just hope he recovers fully for the winter Ashes... Still it gives Monty a chance to show his wares have always liked him as a bowler - so good luck to both...
There's no denying clarion inn and suites that this is a major blow for Swann and England. Swann's value as a spinner who can take wickets on helpful pitches and bowl economically on flat tracks, a hard-hitting lower-order batsman, a slip fielder and not least someone who keeps the morale of the side up (who can forget the sprinkler dance?) is going to be impossible to replace and hard to compensate for.
Monty is a good bowler, but his batting and fielding aren't in the same league as Swann's. Tredwell isn't the bowler Swann is, but he won't let England down. However, let's hope that Swanny is fit and back to form for the Ashes.
I'm sure Monty Panesar wanted no ill to befall Graeme Swann but he'll still be excited to get a run in the team as first spinner again, albeit that he got more overs than Swann even as second spinner in the games he played in UAE, SL and India. It will be interesting clarion inn and suites to see what he can do when conditions are not considered helpful to spinners. The rain at the moment is frustrating enough but it's also reducing the playing time in what could be Monty's last Test series.
Assistant Editor Andrew arrived at ESPNcricinfo via Manchester and Cape Town, after finding the assistant editor at a weak moment as he watched England's batting collapse in the Newlands Test. Andrew began his cricket writing as a freelance covering Lancashire during 2004 when they were relegated in the County Championship. In fact, they were top of the table when he began reporting on them but things went dramatically downhill. He likes to let people know that he is a supporter of county cricket, a fact his colleagues will testify to and bemoan in equal quantities.