Trott should be England's No. 3

So underpinning everything he did in the first Test was the knowledge that if he failed, he was likely to be cut from the side. His critics will be quick to point out that runs scored against Bangladesh count for less. But this is where it is essential to have a real understanding of the range of difficulties Test cricket throws up. Scoring big against a weak bowling attack has its own problems, especially for a man under pressure for his place in the team. Firstly there is the added expectation. Against Bangladesh a century is not necessarily enough to make a convincing case because it comes with a caveat. The most impressive aspect of Trott's 226 was the way in which he carried on after reaching his hundred. Weaker players would have thought: "Right, that's enough," and switched off.