Duncan's disciple

"He knew his own game, knew how to prepare and was a meticulous, organised young man" © Getty Images

Apart from Duncan Fletcher and the captains who have worked with him Marcus Trescothick has been the single biggest influence in changing the culture of the side and making England a team rather than group of individuals thrown together. The two most signifi cant changes were the arrival of Fletcher in 1999 and central contracts in 2000. Apart from Michael Vaughan, Trescothick is the one player who has been there since then. Central contracts made people feel this was their team and, once you feel that, you do start offering advice, which Marcus did from quite early. Marcus is the ultimate team man; he does everything for the team. He changed the dressing-room culture of mickey-taking which tends to go on in any team. He felt strongly from early on that players should not take the mickey out of each other and he often made this point at team management meetings. I wonder if it was because, as a chubby lad in his youth, he had been victim of a lot of it.

I had not seen much of him before he became involved in the England set-up, at the suggestion of Fletcher who had seen him make a big hundred for Somerset against his own county Glamorgan. He came to a training camp in 1999 and his body language and the way he carried himself were impressive. Others were messing around and treating it as a bit of fun but Marcus was professional in all he did. He did not go on the tour to South Africa that winter but came into the side the following summer. He ticked every box straight away. He had all the things you need to be an international cricketer: ability, proper mind-set and preparation, willingness to make sacrifices and teamwork. He had it all covered.

He had a bit of Alec Stewart about him. He knew his own game, knew how to prepare and was a meticulous, organised young man. He soaks things up very well. It took Freddie Flintoff about three years to learn the forward press that Fletcher is so keen on against the spinners. Marcus and Paul Collingwood get a bit of advice from Fletcher and within two weeks they are putting it into practice.

Vaughan ticked all the boxes as well and I have never seen two lads come in and be so ready for Test cricket despite having moderate first-class records. The one subtle difference in the beginning was that Vaughan was very much the Yorkshire opening batsman who just looked after his own game. Trescothick was much more into offering advice and making suggestions in and around the dressing room. He would always be giving throw-downs for other players. If one of the bowlers need to work on his batting, Marcus would take him off for half an hour after his own net. If anyone needed a drink or if the physio had forgotten something, Marcus was the first person to go and get it. And he still is. These are all things that I, and the likes of Graham Thorpe, were in all honesty very poor at.

In India it was clear he was struggling with something mentally and physically. Although the fact that he left the tour like that was a shock to everyone, it did not come as a surprise to me that after giving so much to the team for five years he should need a break. That sort of intensity catches up with you, especially after the highs of the Ashes.