Swann hoping for early breakthrough

Spinner Graeme Swann believes England will have to take early wickets on Monday morning if they are to complete a 4-0 series whitewash against India at the Oval.

After asking India to follow on, England managed three second-innings wickets as the tourists closed on 129 for three - still trailing by 162 runs. Swann claimed two of the wickets to fall, including first-innings centurion Rahul Dravid, as his slow right-arm spin looked set to be crucial to England's hopes on a wearing final-day wicket.

After a summer when England's seamers have done most of the damage on conducive wickets, Swann admitted he was looking forward to finally getting his chance to play a key role, and he told Sky Sports 1: "It excites me - especially after you play a whole season on belting batting and seaming wickets. It is nice to get a spinning wicket. We need to make inroads in the morning."

He added: "We've got 20 overs where the ball will talk a lot. It was easier once we got the hard ball. It died a bit early on.

"I was fairly happy with the way I bowled all day. My body is aching like it hasn't all summer, but it's a nice ache."

Dravid was disappointed to fall for 13 before the close after he batted through India's first innings to be unbeaten on 146.

Swann eked him out with a ball Dravid admitted he had just nicked before being caught by Alastair Cook at short leg.

India's batting has relied upon his defiance in the series, but Dravid believes star man Sachin Tendulkar - who reached stumps unbeaten on 35 - can finally find form on Monday and save the tourists from a whitewash.

"It's been a tough series," he said. "They are a quality side and have bowled well as a group. Some of us have had a tough series, but hopefully (Monday) it is Sachin's day.

"If the other guys can rally around him maybe we can save this Test."