A SMILE ON THE FACE

Back in March, 2008, I wrote a piece on this blog about the decision by Marcus Trescothick that he could no longer continue to play test cricket and that, instead, he would concentrate on serving his county, Somerset, with whom he had been associated for 17 years having been born in the county at Keynsham. His decision followed a series of difficulties he had encountered and which had been documented in his award winning book `Coming back to Me,`that catalogued the mental torture he could no longer endure when being asked to leave home for tours abroad.

Eighteen months on and it seems that the most talented of English opening batsmen is at least beginning to face down the demons that have plagued him for so long.

I`ve just finished watching - on the Eurosport channel - Trescothick`s Somerset Sabres clinch a thrilling one-wicket win over the IPL champions Deccan Chargers in the Champions League Twenty20 in Hyderabad. Trescothick had been granted special dispensation by Somerset to delay travelling until three days after his team mates and to be accompanied for the short tour by his wife, Hayley. His ability to make the journey at all, let alone feature in the game, represents a huge turning point for him and I could not be more pleased to see him with a smile on his face once more.

He does, indeed, have plenty to be pleased about. With Justin Langer`s retirement, Trescothick has been asked to captain Somerset next season and just last week, he was named Player of the Year by the Professional Cricketers Association for his achievements in the season just gone, in which he scored just under 3,000 runs in all competitions. In his darkest days, he reminded me of those other Somerset and England openers, Harold Gimblett and Mark Lathwell, who both also suffered similar difficulties. Gimblett tragically took his own life and Lathwell simply walked away from cricket for good.

I don`t expect to see Trescothick playing for England any more, but it looks as if he is enjoying his cricket and I hope this short, carefully managed tour of India will not only keep the smile on his face but also on the faces of those who, like me, wish nothing but good for a hugely talented and decent man. Welcome back to you, Marcus.