Swann soars

Graeme Swann's all-round heroics were England's only challenge to the euphoria surrounding Makhaya Ntini's 100th Test, writes James Lawton in the Independent.

Swann inserted himself into the heart of the Ashes triumph last summer and here yesterday he surely created new waves of mystique. The trick, it appears, is to produce the jauntiest of styles, all the better to conceal behind it the most ferocious ambition.

If Ntini is the warrior and the legend, Swann is the peculiarly English hero, nonchalant in all but the vital execution of his assignment.

England should have gone in with an extra bowler for the first Test and Luke Wright would have provided them that option, writes Angus Fraser in the Independent. It was quite baffling, he says, that England chose to field without the services of a fourth seamer.

The move would have eased the burden on Stuart Broad, Graham Onions – playing in his first overseas Test – and James Anderson, who still appears to be recovering from a knee injury. As it was, Onions, who has suffered with a calf strain/cramp, struggled with the heat and Anderson looked short of a gallop. England were fortunate that the pitch offered spin and encouragement to Swann, who bowled beautifully.

Vic Marks, in the Guardian, lauds Paul Harris' patience and persistence which earned him a five-for and gave his team a handy lead.

Patrick Kidd, in his blog Line and Length in the Times, chronicles Ian Bell's inglorious outing with the bat in his 50th Test.

"Hello ball," Ronald said in his best Fotherington-Thomas. "How lovely of you to drop by like this. What a pleasant surprise." And when the ball asked if it could come past, Ronald stood aside, saying: "Why of course, after you."