Don’t throw in the towel over dew problem, Swann told

West Indies skipper Darren Sammy has a rather elementary solution to the dew problem that is driving English spinner Graeme Swann nuts — get a towel.

Struggling to grip a wet ball during Friday’s defeat by Bangladesh, Swann swore in frustration and went on to complain about the dew factor.

Ahead of Thursday’s World Cup Group B match against the English side who badly need to win it to stay afloat in the tournament, Sammy said his spinners would not have any such complaints.

“Dew or not, the way my bowlers have been performing, I think they managed it quite well,” Sammy told reporters at the M A Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday.

“To the complaining part of Swann...if there is dew, just get a towel and wipe the ball, simple,” he said, with a chuckle.

The all-rounder spoke highly of the English off-spinner but insisted his batsmen would not let him dominate Thursday’s proceedings.

“He has been England’s premier bowler and is in the top 10 in the world. Obviously what he has done in the past two years, nobody can question. We have utmost respect for what he does,” he said.

“We will play him accordingly, showing the respect he deserves. But at the end of the day, he’s still a human and we have batsmen equally capable of dominating. All in all, it will be a good contest.”

Sammy, whose side are in the running for a quarter-final spot after three successive wins, also wondered if some of the English players were not homesick after a long season.

“It’s good time to play England,” he said, flashing an illuminating smile.

“Obviously they have been on the road for a long time ... That’s something that would be on their mind. In order to stay in India, they got to win, or maybe some of them want to go home to their families,” he said, chuckling again.

The West Indies captain said Chris Gayle, who missed the victory against Ireland with an abdominal strain, has been cleared for Thursday’s match.

“It’s a massive boost for us to have him back. He’s a key player for the team. The physio said he should be fit to go. We welcome him back in the squad,” Sammy said.