Why doesn’t Trescothick retur…maybe not.

I was just thinking why doesn’t Marcus Trescothick make a return to the England international side even if it was just for the ODI games or T20′s, we could really do with him and he really would bring class to line up, as well as him not being as old as you think – 33. I was thinking I was all really clever, with him having got over his fear of this illness and all (well he must have if he was playing in India in the CLT20 I thought) and only one look at his ODI and List A records show what a bloody brilliant batsman he is in the shortened forms of the game, when suddenly this news broke in The Guardian;

Marcus Trescothick’s return to England is a blow to Somerset’s chances of reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League. It is also a setback in his recuperation from the stress-related illness that prompted his premature retirement from international cricket. But it is not the end of the world for Somerset or for Trescothick.

As Brian Rose, Somerset’s director of cricket, pointed out in his statement it required “a great effort” from Trescothick to undertake this trip. Given his experiences on his last visit to India, which culminated in nights of torment in a Baroda hotel room, it was a brave decision by Trescothick to participate in the Champions League. There was always the risk that he would not last the course. Such bravery will surely enhance the respect of his colleagues. Rose’s remarks that his team-mates “have fully appreciated his effort and personal commitment” are heartfelt.

It was always going to be a difficult fortnight for Trescothick. Even if he had breezed through the tournament, dispatching bowlers to all corners of Hyderabad and Bangalore in carefree manner, the critics might well have concluded that he should be doing the same for England. As it happens the outcome is a dignified retreat to Taunton.

Since his illness Trescothick has established some ground rules about how to react when he senses his torment, which is triggered by separation anxiety, is returning. No longer will he try to battle with the demons, which is what he attempted both in Pakistan in 2005 when he felt obliged to stay on since he had suddenly been landed with the England captaincy, and in India in 2006. Instead, when he sees the signs, he is minded to withdraw immediately. Yesterday there was no question of Rose or Justin Langer, the Somerset captain, or Andy Hurry, the first-team coach, trying to persuade Trescothick to hang on for another game.

So this is a setback, but not a calamity. Trescothick has been appointed Somerset’s captain for 2010 and the expectation is that he will be perfectly capable of fulfilling that post. However, if he leads the team to another domestic Twenty20 final, which acts as a qualification for the Champions League, it seems unlikely that he will attempt to play abroad again. Moreover it is certain now that any talk of Trescothick renouncing his decision to retire from international cricket is banished for good.

In Trescothick’s absence Craig Kieswetter, the highly rated wicketkeeper-batsman, who qualifies for England this spring, will open the batting alongside Langer when Somerset take on the Diamond Eagles from South Africa tomorrow. The Eagles, who scraped through to this round after a tie with Sussex, which led to a melodramatic one-over shoot-out, lack many superstars but are efficient and disciplined under Boeta Dippenaar’s captaincy. In all probability Somerset will have to beat both the Eagles and the unbeaten New South Wales Blues, whom they play on Sunday, to qualify for a semi-final berth, which would guarantee another $500,000 (£308,000).

Despite Trescothick’s departure, Rose reports that the team is buzzing at the prospect. “The tournament has been exciting and well run”, he said “and the boys have responded exceptionally well. In that first game [against the Deccan Chargers] with all the noise, the fireworks, the dancing girls and a crowd of 25,000-plus we could easily have been overawed against the IPL champions. But in the field we hardly fumbled a ball; we caught everything and kept our nerve superbly after their flying start.”

In that match Somerset scrambled home by one wicket via an Alfonso Thomas boundary from the last ball. It was an amazing experience for Somerset’s rookie wrist-spinner, Max Waller, who must have contributed the most valuable golden duck in the history of the game. He hit his first ball sufficiently high in the air for the batsmen to cross before the catch was taken. So Thomas was on strike to deliver the final blow to the Chargers.

The team were almost as impressive in the field against Trinidad & Tobago, but the batsmen faltered. Rose readily acknowledges, “We haven’t batted well yet; we haven’t been able to make good use of the first six overs” – a task that is all the more difficult without Trescothick. However, Somerset approach the rest of the tournament in a dangerous mood. They now feel they have nothing to lose.

It really is such a shame. He has tried but clearly he is still having trouble with his illness. A great batsman, cricketer and most importantly man has been reduced to a nervous wreck. As for the England selectors they will have to continue to watch Trescothick play his brilliant cricket in domestically down in Taunton but agonizingly for Trescothick and England he seemingly will never be able to play cricket for us again.