The day you’re not allowed to celebrate winning a Test is dark day: Swann

Former England spinner Graeme Swann has questioned ECB’s imposition of midnight curfew on players, and termed Ben Stokes a victim of the culture more interested in policing than celebrating an achievement.

Skipper Stokes landed in controversy after footage emerged from the post Lord’s Test victory celebrations at a nightclub, where he and teammate Gus Atkinson were caught in a melee involving Saracens academy rugby player Totoa Auvaa.

Swann, however, believes the focus has been misplaced, immediately after England outsmarted New Zealand by 115 runs. “My thoughts are very mixed on this. The fact that there’s a curfew put in place is... I’m a former player. You will never, ever convince me that a curfew is a good thing. It’s ridiculous that they even did that in the first place,” Swann told PTI.

The former off-spinner said enforcement of curfew was done without taking the dressing-room realities into account.  “I understand why they did it, because they’re trying to paint a good picture to other people, to a PR side of it. That doesn’t work. I think they’ll learn a lesson, the ECB, from that, that we shouldn’t have done that at all,” he said.  According to Swann, the ECB would have been better served discussing team culture rather than imposing such blanket restrictions. “We should have come out, sat down and actually talked about what we’re going to do as a culture and make sure we’re moving forward.  “But just to put a midnight curfew after winning a Test match, the day you’re not allowed to celebrate winning a Test match for your country is a dark day,” he said.

Swann made it clear that the issue lies with the rule rather than the player. 

“I don’t think Ben Stokes has done anything wrong here, other than go against a rule that shouldn’t have been implemented in the first place.” While criticism of Stokes has centred on his responsibilities as captain, Swann was reluctant to pass judgement on the cascading events.  “I don’t know the story, what happened. No one knows the story. So, I’m not even going to comment on that.” Instead, he returned to what he sees as the more fundamental issue.

“Like I say, he celebrated winning the Test match. I have no issue with that whatsoever. I do have a massive issue with the team curfew at midnight after winning a Test.” The 47-year-old believes that players should be treated as adults and trusted to exercise common sense. “Before a Test, fine. You shouldn’t drink before or during a game. As a professional athlete, you shouldn’t be doing that. But that doesn’t need writing down on a piece of paper for me.”

Swann also expressed concern over the growing culture of surveillance around professional athletes, questioning the motivations of those who filmed and circulated footage of England players. “Think of it from another angle. Think of who recorded that and think of who sent it to a newspaper trying to make money.”

The Northampton man drew parallels with previous incidents involving England players and suggested the public discourse had become increasingly toxic.

“This is what happened to Ben Duckett in the winter (during the Ashes in Australia). Who recorded it and sent that? This is supposed to be an England fan and they’ll pretend. They’ll say, ‘Oh, we’re doing it because we love our country.’ No, they’re doing it to try and make money.”

“The culture we live in at the minute, we’re trying desperately to film someone doing it and knock them down, put them in the newspaper. I think it’s a sad time we live in. I really do.”

Swann even contrasted the reaction to Stokes with how sporting heroes are often celebrated in other circumstances.

“I think England are playing in the Football World Cup at the minute. If they win that Football World Cup and went on a 10-day bender, we’d celebrate that as a country like you wouldn’t believe.”

With Stokes subsequently omitted from England’s second Test against New Zealand, questions have arisen over his future.

Swann admitted that he was concerned by the direction of the debate.

“I don’t know. I hope it’s not the end because he’s the best captain we’ve had, arguably, since Andrew Strauss. Alastair Cook’s not going to like that. Sorry, Cooky,”

“I think he’s (Stokes) a very good man manager and leads by example. He really does lead by example. That’s where he’s let himself down.”

For Swann, the most disappointing aspect of the controversy is that it has overshadowed one of England’s finest recent achievements.

“It was a brilliant win on a terrible pitch at Lord’s and for England to win that game after the winter they had that was horrible in Australia. It was time to move on. But it’s sad,” he said.

Swann also warned that England would struggle to replace Stokes if it comes to that.

“Well, the problem is on the field, we haven’t got an all-rounder anywhere near Ben Stokes...what he brings with the bat and the ball.”

Stokes’ abilities as a bowler too fuelled Swann’s thoughts.

“Stokes is an enigma. He’s a world-class fast bowler who swings the ball. We don’t have a swing bowler. No one has swing bowlers in the world. So he’s irreplaceable on the field, I think. And, you know, as a captain, he’s been brilliant.”

Despite the controversy, Swann insisted that the lesson for players was not to stop celebrating but to recognise the reality of modern scrutiny.

“I think the lesson learned is to stay in the changing room and just enjoy it between yourselves. What’s the point of going out? You can’t do it these days,” he signed off.