GRAEME SWANN WRITES OFF ENGLAND'S CHANCES

GRAEME SWANN admits England's worn-out stars have already written off winning the Champions Trophy.

Andrew Strauss's team have suffered the mother of Ashes hangovers and today stand on the brink of being labelled England's worst-ever one-day side.

Defeat at Chester-le-Street will see them make unwanted history as the first team ever to suffer a 7-0 one-day international series whitewash.

It was all so different a month ago when off-spinner Swann snared the final Aussie wicket at the Oval to spark wild celebrations.

Ashes

But three days after reclaiming the Ashes, England had to travel to Ireland for a money-spinning - but tiring - one-day clash before embarking on the Natwest Series.

The team's dire displays have left skipper Strauss admitting his side have hit "rock bottom".

They fly to South Africa tomorrow for yet another one-day tournament and Swann reckons the best they can hope for is a place in the last four.

He said: "We can do a South Korea and maybe get to the semi-finals. I am a great believer in that it is good to be the underdog and the underdog can have its day. We're going to go and give it a crack."

Shambolic

England's shambolic Natwest Series displays have taken some of the gloss off their 2-1 Ashes triumph.

Swann believes the next England team to beat the Aussies in Test cricket should be given time to let their hair down.

He said: "In an ideal world we would have had a week off after the Ashes to let it all sink in. The trip to Ireland was a bit hectic but that is the way of life for cricketers nowadays.

"In 2005, people only started saying that the celebrations were too much a year down the line - when England weren't doing so well. This series feels like it's after the Lord Mayor's show.

"It's very difficult for me to say because my employers plan the schedule but it does seem completely wrong to have these games now."

Underdogs

Win or lose today, England will travel to South Africa tomorrow as massive underdogs to progress from a group also containing South Africa, Sri Lanka and New Zealand.

Luke Wright has been passed fit after having stitches in his toe and England are optimistic Stuart Broad will be cleared to play after an assessment of his knee injury today.

In the absence of Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen, England have failed to deliver the runs needed to put the Aussies under pressure.

Australian batsmen have already hit three tons in six games compared to England's highest score of just 63, by Strauss.

Obvious

"It is pretty obvious to anyone who is watching we are not making enough runs," Swann said.

"Having said that, we set them 300 on Tuesday and they chased it down. We are not playing good one-day cricket and we haven't done that for a few years.

"I am a glass half-full merchant. On the plus side we are playing lots of cricket and that can only do us good.

"I don't think past few weeks have taken the gloss off the Ashes."

Durham bowler Graham Onions is expected to make an overdue ODI debut at the Riverside today in place of Ryan Sidebottom.

For Australia, vice-captain Michael Clarke and Mitchell Johnson are set to return.

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