'Joker' Swann is serious about taking on old enemy

Graeme Swann, the England off-spinner, may have missed out his dream final against Australia, but he said his side were ready to take revenge on their most regular foes anyway. The Ashes rivals will face each other again in the last four of the Champions Trophy, at Centurion tomorrow, while Australia's trans-Tasman rivals, New Zealand, face Pakistan at The Wanderers a day later. After losing the recent limited-overs series in the United Kingdom 6-1, England should be sick of the sight of Ricky Ponting's side, but not so, according to Swann.

He said: "We are on the up against Australia - the last time we played them we hammered them." However, Swann has a well-earned reputation for being the joker in the England pack. In his Twitter biography he says: "I play cricket, I'm in a band, and I recently stopped wetting the bed! Oh, and I'm funnier than Jimmy Anderson." Yet he is serious about his desire to renew acquaintances with the Australians.

"It's the old enemy and everyone seems to get more interested in those games," he added. England's medical staff have opted not to send Stuart Broad for a scan after the injury niggle he sustained while taking four wickets in the defeat against New Zealand eased. Andrew Strauss, the England captain, said he was "optimistic" wicketkeeper Matt Prior would be fit for the semi-final following a virus.

The Black Caps' title tilt has been bolstered by the arrival of Iain O'Brien. The seam bowler was permitted to join the squad after Daryl Tuffey, the returning paceman, broke a hand before the game against England. Tuffey was the third player, after Jacob Oram and Jesse Ryder, to drop out of their initial squad due to injury. [e-mail]