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International Cricket

Graeme Swann has revealed how England's determination to improve as a one-day side will drive them on against South Africa.

The Nottinghamshire off-spinner had been one of many players hoping to make an impression during Wednesday`s scheduled Twenty20 international against South Africa at the Riverside.

But heavy rainfall forced match referee Roshan Mahanama to call the match off on Tuesday and deny England their final competitive Twenty20 outing before the US dollars 20million match against Stanford All Stars in Antigua on November 1.

The prospect of earning US dollars one million per player if England are successful in that match is a strong motivation for any cricketer but Swann believes the main drive is improving their one-day fortunes after successive series defeats to New Zealand.

"You can't go into a one-day series with your eyes on the game that's in six weeks time," stressed Swann, who has played in England's last three Twenty20 matches.

"This series is as important a one-day series as any that England play in.

"It's Kev's (Pietersen) first as captain and everyone wants to make a good impression after the way the New Zealand series finished and there's no better way to play one of the best teams in the world than on your own turf.

"If we can put in some consistent performances we could provide an upset and that would be a perfect way to set us up for the winter."

Since upsetting the odds and beating India last summer, England have won just five of their last 15 one-day internationals against major opposition - a record new captain Pietersen is determined to improve upon over the coming weeks.

It will not be an easy task against a South African side who were rated as the world's top one-day side earlier this year and the prospect of selection for the Stanford encounter may just help England's performances.

"Everyone in this one-day squad has their roles to play and it's important for Kev as well as a new captain that people have clearly defined roles," said Swann.

"Whether people think at the back of their minds that an explosive performance here and there will put them in the shop window I don't know.

"I'm not sure how the selection policy for that Twenty20 match is going to go, but it's a no-brainer that the guys who perform well in the one-day series are probably going to be heavily involved in that Antigua thing.

"We've got five games now against South Africa and more importantly everyone will be looking to win this series.

"It's very important we put in some good performances given the way the New Zealand series finished."

Swann's Nottinghamshire team-mate Ryan Sidebottom, who missed the washed out match against Scotland in Edinburgh on Monday with a hip problem, passed a fitness test on Tuesday at the National Performance Centre in Loughborough.

He will join up with the rest of the squad in Leeds on Thursday, where they will train prior to the start of the NatWest Series, which begins with a day-night international at Headingley the following day.