England's Tour of Australia - Ashes, ODIs and T20s 13/14

I can't believe Swann has done this!! I can understand that being on the wrong end of a beating like test team has been would be one reason but to retire before the end of the series is a bit premature. He has served England well often coming up with match - winning spells and turning matches round but I don't think he has done it this series for some reason. It will probably make it a lot easier for England to pick either Onions or Panesar, but they will need to find anew back up spinner for either in future. We will miss you Swann.

Swanny has been a magnificent servant to English cricket not only as an excellent spinner but also a reliable tail end batsman (this series excluded) and excellent close in fielder. He has been a key component in the four man bowling attack.
Although I can understand Swann retiring from international cricket but I would of thought for the sake of team spirit he would have waited to announce it until the end of the tour. I would be interested to know what the Nottingham fans think. I would imagine they would feel he was due to give them a couple of season once his international duties were over. That said perhaps his recent elbow injuries have been a bigger problem than have been made public.
He will certainly be a difficult act to replace and looking at the current alternatives I am not over confident that anyone will be found in the short term.

Although i am sorry to see Swann go his retirement could be a blessing in disguise, it will give Panesar the chance to cement his place as England,s no1 spinner. Swann maybe a better batsman and fielder but he was out bowled by Monty on the recent tour of India and he also under performed in the ashes series earlier this year. I,ve always liked Panaser but the England managements insistence on improving his batting and fielding has i believed held him back. Sometimes you just have to accept peoples limitations and just let them get on with what they are primarily in the side for.

Since his debut in December 2008 Swann is Test cricket's leading wicket taker with 255, well ahead of Jimmy Anderson (232), Stuart Broad (207) and Dale Steyn (205). There has been a suggestion for a while that despite 2 operations his elbow is still bothering him, so retirement looks to have been the right decision.

I wonder how many more will take Swann's lead? I guess KP could be one

Expect to see Swanny on the celeb TV circuit anytime soon.

I guess that Swann's retirement will leave the door open for Onions to fight Panesar for the No.1 spinner slot. I don't know how long it will be before England will have another quality spinner Swann's calibre again and which young spinners are coming through for the future. I agree with Vaughan who said that Cook's defining moment is now and over time England's attack will have a different look about it for sure.

I am staggered that he has decided to quit.The timing is poor.I couldn't see Gerrard or Lampard quitting half way through next years World Cup Finals.Even if he felt like it was time to go surely he could have waited just two more weeks to see the tour out.Smacks more of wanting to get home in time for Christmas and sod the rest of the team.He was contracted for the whole tour and because he hasn't actually said he is injured he should have stuck it out.In many ways it almost isn't his choice.Feels more like 'sorry lads,not going to win the Ashes,not sure if I'm going to be selected for the last two tests anyway so I'm off'.I think this almost unprecedented and I hope it doesn't set a benchmark for future tours and also set an example for the next generation who might think it's ok to chuck the towel in at the earliest opportunity.Very selfish IMO.

I wonder if Swann would be retiring if he had taken 20 wickets and England were on top?

Prob thought Ashes are lost might as well be home for xmas