Graeme Swann says England 'taking nothing for granted' in Ashes series
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• 'Sometimes I have to pinch myself' over run of wins – spinner
• England head to Australia in November aiming for four in a row
After growing up in an era of almost routine England humiliations, Graeme Swann can hardly believe he is a part of a squad hoping to make history by claiming a fourth consecutive Ashes triumph.
"Sometimes I have to pinch myself that I'm playing in an era like this. Australia seemed almost invincible when I was growing up, and you knew it was going to be 3-0 or 4-1 when the Ashes came round.
"We had some good players in those days but as a young cricketer you never really aspired to win it. To be playing in an era in which we have won it three times in a row, I sometimes find hard to believe."
Nevertheless Swann is adamant the weight of a potential record-breaking achievement will not prove a burden. "The important thing is to go out and win things and if that rewrites the record books then that's great. As a team we don't play thinking about records and history."
England head to Australia in November after wrapping up a 3-0 series victory over Australia at The Oval in August.
The England off-spinner was speaking as a member of the committee of the Bobby Robson Foundation, which hopes to raise £1m to fight cancer via a series of high-profile prizes in its ongoing charity auction.
Swann, who starred as the leading wicket-taker with 26 in the summer series, accepts three consecutive triumphs could lead to complacency among a new generation of fans. He made clear there will be no such assumption of victory within the England squad.
"Maybe there is some complacency [among fans] but if we're expected to beat them then that's a very good sign. We are going out there with the score at 0-0 and we are certainly not taking anything for granted, but if we are going as favourites then it is much better than going there as the underdogs."
For more details of the auction visit sirbobbysbreakthroughauction.com
Ashes 2013-14
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