Trescothick Backs England in Battle for the Urn

The first over of an Ashes Test match is always an important one. In 2006 Steve Harmison ran in with the bright red cherry, hoping to set the tone for the rest of the match. The ball flew into the hands of Andrew Flintoff at second slip, but England fans had nothing to celebrate, there was no edge, just a horribly wide delivery.

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Many pundits feel that first delivery summed up England’s performance Down Under. Of course it is clear that this one ball did not contribute to us losing the series 5-0, however it put Flintoff’s side immediately on the back foot. Australia punished the poor bowling performance and amassed a total of more than 600 before declaring.

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Fast forward four years and this time it was England captain Andrew Strauss who had the chance to prove that this side was different. Three balls later the Middlesex batsman was gone, cramped for room and cutting straight into the hands of the ever-reliable Mike Hussey.

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Despite being bowled out for 260, England did not fall apart, in fact far from it.� Ably assisted by Strauss and Jonathon Trott, Alastair Cook produced a record-breaking innings of 235 to secure a memorable draw. A result that former England opener Marcus Trecothick believes will instil the side with plenty of confidence for the rest of the series.

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“I was a bit worried when we lost Strauss as those first few overs are absolutely vital,” explains the Somerset captain. “But the way we responded was absolutely fantastic. To get to 500-1 just doesn’t happen, ever. We put down a big marker with that performance and it shows just what talented players we have.”

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The explosive batsman knows exactly what it takes to win an Ashes series. Having played in three tough series against Australia he was an important member of the side that won the little urn in 2005, contributing 431 runs and becoming the second highest run scorer in the series.

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So did the opener enjoy watching Strauss, Cook and Trott put the Australian bowling attack to the sword? “I was delighted, all three of them were superb. It’s so important to get those big hundreds and set the tone for the opposition. You have to make the most of your opportunities in Australia so for two of the guys to get hundreds and one guy get a double hundred is a great achievement.”

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Although England’s batsmen excelled in the second innings, it was the way that Australia played against Graeme Swann that had many fans worried. The likes of Mike Hussey and Brad Haddin used their feet superbly well, negating the spin and hitting the confident bowler out of the ground on a number of occasions.

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Despite this confident approach, Trescothick is still certain that the bowling attack, and in particular Swann, can put the baggy greens under pressure and evoke a collapse.

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“They went after Swann in the last Test so the way he reacts is going to be important. If he can get a couple of quick wickets then they can’t risk coming down the pitch. I’m convinced that it will make a big difference and then I think we will see the pressure build.”

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The pressure that Trescothick talks about has already been seen in the first day of play in the second Test. England claimed three wickets in the first three overs and Swann was able to come into the attack with Australia on the back foot. The batsmen could not risk coming down the track and the Nottinghamshire spinner picked up the important wicket of the ever-dangerous Hussey.

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Now England must make their dominance count, something that the 2005 side managed to achieve. “There were key moments in that series when we had the opportunity to capitalise and we always seemed to do it. This time round we have witnessed the Australian side get in a good position, but they haven’t managed to force it home.

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“In previous years when they had the likes of Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath in their side then they probably would have converted these opportunities. It is pretty clear how strong their attack was, when you have a guy getting 700 wickets and one getting 500, the quality is obvious.”

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Having watched the first Test in Brisbane and seen how well England recovered, does the opener believe the Ashes will once again stay in Strauss’s hands? “I think we will win the series 2-1 and I am certain that the Adelaide Test is going to prove crucial,” describes Trescothick.

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“The England side is settled and they have become used to winning. I am a bit concerned for Australia as they have made a lot of changes and have been struggling in recent months. Ponting is a serious cricketer but he has a real challenge in trying to get an inexperienced side playing well enough to beat England.”

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While Trescothick enjoys watching the games on television, he admits that he has no regrets about walking away from the international game. Suffering from anxiety attacks since the age of 10, the west country native announced his retirement in 2006 and bravely revealed his illness to the world.

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In his book, ‘Coming Back to Me’ Trescothick spoke candidly about his illness and was thrilled with the support it received. “We had loads of letters with people thanking me for bringing the issue to the forefront of people minds as it is not a subject that often gets breached.”

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Although the talented batsman no longer experiences the highs and lows of Test cricket, he now has the added pressure of being the Somerset captain. In his first season in charge his side finished runners-up in all three competitions, something that he is desperate to put right this year.

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“We have had a good realisation that we can compete in all competitions and possibly win them,” says Trecothick. “We want to be the best team in the country and that means winning titles, so we just have to go that one step further to get over the line.”

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As well as hopefully leading Somerset to a well-deserved title, Trescothick has the added incentive of a �1million reward should he clear the Lords pavilion with what would be a monstrous six. Using the new Mongoose bat, the left-hander is attempting to replicate the shot only one other man has produced. That was Australian Albert Trott who cleared the pavilion back in 1899.

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Can Trescothick clear the famous old pavilion? “I will definitely be trying, I’ll be swinging for the fences. The bat gives you a lot more leverage and I tell you what, it flies off the bat when you connect.”

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Next year could be an exciting time for fans of English cricket. If Trecothick’s predictions are to come true, England will have retained the Ashes and we could be about to witness the powerful left-hander hitting an unfortunate bowler over his head for a six that disappears out of Lords. What a great time to be a cricket fan.

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Marcus Trescothick was speaking after his new signing with Mongoose Cricket�www.mongoosecricket.com

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