Swann thrilled 10-wicket haul helped England retain No 1 ranking

London, Apr 9(ANI): England off spinner Graeme Swann has said he enjoyed playing a central role in their win against Sri Lanka in the second Test match at Colombo, during which he snapped 10 wickets.

Swann said he was thrilled to help England rescue their number one Test team rankings, and that the win would boost the morale of the team for the upcoming Test series against the West Indies and South Africa.

"I was absolutely thrilled to have played my part in helping England retain our status as the No 1 Test team in the world. To stay at the top is important, and will give us a big lift for the home series against West Indies and South Africa," Swann wrote in his column for The Sun.

Swann revealed he was under tremendous pressure to perform, as every one had kept their eyes on him to perform in Sri Lanka.

"There was a lot of pressure on me to deliver in the Second Test because I was the only spinner, although Samit Patel was there as back-up. When the ball turned a little on day one, everyone was looking to me to perform," Swann said,

"Thankfully, I was able to grab six wickets in the second innings and 10 in the match. To take a 10-for is a big thing. I've only managed it five times in my first-class career, and especially in such a big victory," he added. (ANI)