Cricket: Strauss Backs Trescothick for Ashes

England's captain, Andrew Strauss, insisted yesterday that Marcus Trescothick is capable of surviving the rigours of this winter's Ashes tour in spite of withdrawing from next month's Champions Trophy with a stress-related illness.

Strauss's unqualified support for his opening partner was an impressive counter to those who fear that the batsman, who revealed this week that he has been receiving therapy throughout the summer, will not be able to cope with Australia's partisan crowds and on-field policy of mental disintegration.

"Australia is going to be a big test for all of us, and for Tres it will be a big test as well," said Strauss, as England prepared for today's fourth one-day international against Pakistan at Trent Bridge. "But he hasn't got to the stage he is at in his career without being able to overcome such tests and I don't see any reason why he won't do it again."

Strauss implied that Trescothick's difficulties - exacerbated by long periods away from home - build up when he is off the field but that cricketing confrontation holds no fears for him. "I haven't seen any difference in the way that he has batted this summer. I know that he hasn't had the best of summers but, in terms of how he has been out in the middle, I haven't seen it being a problem. I think it is very much an off-field thing to him. On the field he can apply himself, but off the field there are some problems that he needs to keep working on."

Nasser Hussain, Trescothick's first international captain, has praised him as the "most giving cricketer I have known" but spoke for many when he emphasised that, if Trescothick commits to an Ashes party to be named next week, he must be convinced that he can fulfil the entire tour, otherwise his distress could undermine the entire team.

There has been no backlash within the England dressing room over Trescothick's withdrawal. Strauss, increasingly assured in his role as England's temporary captain, said: "I have no reason to think that he won't be back for the Ashes, raring to go and providing that same example again. He is still focused on playing for England. But there are issues that he has to address. It is something that he is working his way through and I think there is light at the end of the tunnel. Right now he needs to keep working on it and I think he is improving day by day.

"We have had a few chats about it but it is very much a personal thing. There are issues that he needs to work through with the people helping him and there is not a huge amount, in that respect, that his team-mates can do to help him.

"I haven't noticed any problems this summer really, but he is the only one who can say how much it affects him while he is at home or whether it is just when he is away from home. We all want to see him playing for England as soon as possible and for as long as possible."

England (from) AJ Strauss (Somerset, capt), EC Joyce (Middlesex), IR Bell (Warwickshire), KP Pietersen (Hampshire), PD Collingwood (Durham), JWM Dalrymple (Middlesex), R Clarke (Surrey), CMW Read (Nottinghamshire, wkt), SI Mahmood (Lancashire), J Lewis (Gloucestershire), SCJ Broad (Leicestershire), AN Cook (Essex), MH Yardy (Sussex), G Onions (Durham), ME Trescothick (Somerset).

Pakistan (from) Inzamam-ul-Haq (capt), Shoaib Malik
Mohammad Hafeez
Younis Khan
Mohammad Yousuf
Shahid Afridi
Abdul Razzaq
Kamran Akmal (wkt), Rana Naved-ul-Hasan
Shoaib Akhtar
Mohammad Asif
Umar Gul


Umpires DJ Harper (Australia) & MR Benson.

Third Umpire IJ Gould.

Match referee MJ Procter (South Africa).