Cricket
Terminate ODI cricket - Swann
2011-11-26 14:24
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London - England's star spinner Graeme Swann told the BBC he wants an end to one day international cricket.
The 32-year-old - who has slipped from the top of the bowler's rankings in that format of cricket to third - said it was not an enjoyable experience playing the 50 a side game.
He added that the recent postponement of the world Test series - England are presently ranked first in the world - by the sport's governing body the International Cricket Council (ICC) was a mistake.
"I think one-day cricket will have to give at some point, hopefully for everyone," said Swann, who has taken 90 wickets in 64 one-day internationals at an average of 25.43.
"I don't think that game should carry on for much longer.
"For me it's not as enjoyable to play in. I think Test cricket and Twenty20 are the way forward for cricket," added Swann, a member of two successive Ashes winning sides.
Swann, who had a miserable one day series against world champions India in October and was dropped for the final match, said that something had to give in the increasingly crowded international schedule.
"We do play too much cricket and if something had to give my choice would be 50-over cricket, or make it 40-over cricket or something," added Swann.
"But that's a purely personal choice. I don't think many people agree with me.
"I think I will finish (playing) before any changes take place so I will carry on playing whatever they put in front of me."
The ICC's decision to cave in to pressure from a television broadcaster and postpone the inaugural World Test Championship - due to be staged in England in 2013 - in favour of the more lucrative 50-over Champions Trophy was blasted by Swann.
"This is frustrating because being English we rate Test cricket above and beyond anything else, and certainly the Champions Trophy," said Swann.
"(Abandoning the Test Championship) is a bit disturbing and short-sighted in my view but I'm not the powers that be."
Swann is not the first to criticise the decline in importance by the authorities of Test cricket with many slamming the decision to make the recent South Africa v Australia series a two match head to head which ended up a thrilling spectacle and a 1-1 draw.