Trescothick: 'I'm desperate to play for England'

Marcus Trescothick: 'desperate' to make his international comeback © Getty Images

Marcus Trescothick has spoken of his delight at being named in England's provisional squad for the Twenty20 World Championships in South Africa, and admits: "I'm desperate to play for England again."

Trescothick has not featured in England's plans since he withdrew from the Ashes squad last November with a recurrence of the stress-related illness that has dogged him since the tour of India. It is not set in stone that he will make the final cut of 15 players when the 30-man squad is halved on August 11, but today's announcement is the first step on the road to recovery.

"David [Graveney, England's chairman of selectors] contacted me at the weekend about my availability and I told him I would be delighted to be named in the squad," said Trescothick, speaking to the Somerset CCC website. "There can be no guarantees at this stage and I made that clear, but if I continue the progress I've made this summer I'll be very hopeful of taking part.

"I'm desperate to play for England again, but as determined as ever not to commit myself before I am as convinced as I can be that I am ready to take on the challenge of international cricket and all that goes with it again.

"At the moment I feel I'm getting there. I'm also under treatment for a groin problem, which will need monitoring in the coming weeks. So, while I am very pleased to be in the squad and eager to play in the Twenty20 World Cup, I want to stress that I'm still taking things a step at a time.

Trescothick is aware that he has pulled out of consecutive tours to India and Australia, but the two-week Twenty20 format should aid his rehabilitation in England colours. "The fact it's a relatively short trip is obviously appealing as a way of testing myself in an international environment abroad," he said. "I also feel the people who have been working with me on my stress problems have given me some tools I can use if things start to get on top of me again."

However, Brian Rose, Somerset's director of cricket, warned that England must not be tempted to rush Trescothick back into the limelight too soon. "Because we've lost two one-day games to West Indies it's quite understandable if the selectors tried to bring Marcus back to England," he said. "But I believe that they have to be very careful."

"Ultimately, we will be guided by Marcus and the ECB medical staff as to his availability," added Graveney. "I would anticipate that further discussions will take place with him before the squad is narrowed down to 15 in mid-August."