Graeme Swann revels in responsibility of winning Tests for England

I'm a big believer in omens," Graeme Swann says with typical optimism as England, following another defiant refusal of defeat, prepare for the climax of an absorbing series against South Africa. The brooding clouds that have rolled across the horizon most afternoons during this stormy summer in Johannesburg might invite a less confident cricketer to pray for rain to secure a 1–0 victory. But Swann exudes bullish conviction before the final Test starts at the Wanderers on Thursday. "The good thing for us is that, after the last two Tests where we blocked out the final ball and got the draw, we've won the very next match. We were nine wickets down against Australia in Cardiff, and at Centurion in this series, and the way we bounced back to win at Lord's and Kingsmead shows the confidence we take from these situations. I think the same will happen this week. We came away feeling inspired after saving the game in Cape Town and that's got to be a good omen going into the Bullring. The Wanderers is a result wicket, weather permitting, and if we make the most of our chances I'm confident we can win the series 2–0. That would be a fantastic achievement." Swann is entitled to that claim. Apart from the fact South Africa were ranked the world's best team up until a few weeks before this series, Swann won successive man of the match awards in the first two Tests. He was also at the crease in that gripping finale at Newlands when he and Graham Onions kept out Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel. "This might sound strange," he says, "but because I was batting right down to the wire it felt like the best place. I knew, after Centurion, there's no worse place than back in the dressing room after you've just got out. All you can do then is watch your mate do the job you were meant to do. So me and Bunny [Onions] were the only ones who weren't that nervous because we were totally focused on not getting out." Steyn may have again proved himself the world's best bowler with a spell of sustained hostility earlier that afternoon, especially against the magnificently dogged Paul Collingwood, but Morkel looked the more likely wicket-taker in those final overs. Yet Onions was intent on facing Morkel. "Bunny, for a No11, has nerves of steel," Swann says. "I had every faith in him because, with a couple of balls left in Steyn's over, I said, 'Should we look for a single?' And Bunny said, 'To be honest, I'd rather you finish this over and I'll back myself against Morkel because I can play him off the back foot.' That sort of confidence is music to my ears – and Bunny blocked Morkel admirably. "But the three hours Colly and Ian Bell batted together was our real salvation. I have every admiration for him but I'd rather gouge out my eyes with a spoon than do what Colly does. I don't know how he manages it. Even when I'm watching him I get nervous. I think, 'I would have reverse-swept that ball or tried to hit it for six.' Colly just blocks it." Swann's skills as an upbeat all-rounder – and especially his once underrated off-spin – have been key to England's success. Having taken five wickets in South Africa's first innings of the series, and scored 85 in England's reply at Centurion, Swann achieved match figures of nine for 164 during a crushing victory in Durban. "The one other time I won two man of the match awards was in my first year of school rugby when I was the only guy to have played the game before. I was a doughty scrum-half – a cheeky little shit – and I'd start the fights and let the front row sort it." His more impressive bowling performances saw him briefly move up to third in the ICC Test rankings, though he has now slipped to fifth. "As I keep telling Alastair Cook, 'statistics don't lie'," Swann jokes. "But, to be honest, I thought someone was winding me up when I first heard it. It's brilliant but I almost feel embarrassed because I've played just over a year of Test cricket [having made his debut in India 13 months ago]. But the ratings are based on the last year and I've been very successful. Hopefully, I'll now climb a couple more spots." Swann chortles at the suggestion that the Australians would be thrilled if he turned up for the Ashes later this year as the world's highest-ranked bowler. "Yeah, they'd love that. But I don't want to get ahead of myself. The ranking means nothing unless I keep performing." Such pragmatism contrasts with his cocky attitude on past tours of South Africa. Swann speaks, with embarrassment, of wrestling Phil Neale to the dressing-room floor during an Under-19 tour after he kept fooling around while his team manager was in the midst of a serious address. And, as a fringe member of England's senior squad during their 1999-2000 visit to South Africa, Swann was thumped by a team-mate. "I can't really reveal who it was," he mumbles, "but it wasn't anything to do with cricket." This week's return to Johannesburg also sparks memories of Swann missing England's team bus after he slept in one morning. "It's the same hotel where we're now staying," he says. "But all these things happened 10 years ago and it was just me being a total pain in the arse. As a 19 year-old, when you're on tour with your country you feel like you're the king of the world – and you're more than happy to tell the whole world. A few years later you realise you're a complete nobody and a total arse. Sometimes you look back and shudder at how you behaved – but that's the whole point of growing up. "Luckily, I came through that period. I was nowhere near good enough for Test cricket and so I focused on the county game. I had 10 years to refine my skills, and just enjoy myself. It's very different now and I've loved being part of a four-man attack. You know you're going to be given a lot of responsibility against great batsmen like Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis." Swann's battle with Smith in the last Test provided compelling cricket – not least for the bowler himself. "It was absorbing because he came out aggressively and I could've got him in my first over. I had the odd lbw shout which made him go into his shell a bit – but he also just grew in confidence as the innings went on. To pull out a knock like he did [scoring 183], when his team really needed it, was deeply impressive. We were desperately trying to get him out but he was obstinate – he wasn't going anywhere. That was the genius of his innings. "But Kallis has been their most consistent batsman. His record is almost ludicrous when you see how many Test runs, and hundreds, he's scored. A lot of batsmen have you thinking, 'I'm in with a shout if I get it in the right area' – but Kallis never seems to make a mistake. It reaches the point where you think you're going to have bowl a really special ball to get him." South Africa, however, still lag behind Australia at their best. "I think most people in Test cricket would still say Australia are the hardest team to beat. I know they were a bit like us in the summer and never managed to get a consistent run of form going. But when they're good, Australia are very good. There were a couple of times – at Cardiff and at Headingley – where we started to think, 'These guys are something else.' But it's a sign of how good we've become as a bowling unit that we got them out cheaply a couple of times. And we did the same to South Africa in Durban. We now have an attack to win games against the best teams. "We had an exceptional 2009, besides that watershed moment in Jamaica [when England were bowled out for 51] and losing badly at Headingley. But we came back to clinch the Ashes at The Oval and it would be perfect if we can maintain that by winning this series. We've then got two series against Bangladesh – followed by Pakistan at home. It's conceivable we could go to Australia having won five series in a row. That's serious stuff. We've looked at how we're going to climb the rankings towards No1 and the only way is by winning series after series. It's a long haul to get there but everyone in the team believes we can do it." Such ambition means Swann sounds passionate about next month's visit to Bangladesh – which has rarely been a favoured tour for a jaded England cricketer. "I didn't play Test cricket for a long time and at my age [he turns 31 in March], and with the way things are going, I'd be mad to miss any series. I've also never been to Bangladesh so I'll be going there with open arms." Swann will arrive in Bangladesh as a newly married man – his wedding to fiancee Sarah takes place a week on Saturday. "It's not long to go now," he says. "Thankfully Sarah's got everything organised. It's something special to look forward to after we hopefully win this series." The grinning man who mocks himself as "the Swannatron" only sounds briefly uncertain when asked how long he and Sarah have been together. "I dunno exactly," he says, "and she'll kill me for not knowing. It's two or three years. But since we've been together my career has gone though the roof. She's been brilliant for me but you can't say that too often. You can't let the missus take the glory, can you?"