Trott drops the curtain on his international career

England veteran batsman unhappy with poor form against Windies.

LONDON: Jonathan Trott followed Graeme Swann and Matt Prior into the international wilderness on Monday to leave England desperately short of experience ahead of this year’s Ashes series against Australia.

Trott was forced to admit that he is no longer capable of coping with the demands of Test cricket following a dismal return to the side in the 1-1 drawn series in the West Indies, managing just 72 runs in six innings including three ducks.

“This was a tough decision to make but I don’t feel my game is at the level you need to be at to play for England,” said Trott in an England and Wales Cricket Board statement. “I was honoured to be given the opportunity to come back and play international cricket again and I’m disappointed it didn’t work out.”

The 34-year-old Trott, who intends to continue his county career with Warwickshire, added, “I look forward to continuing my career at Warwickshire and hopefully helping us win more silverware.”

The West Indies series saw Trott recalled by England for the first time since his premature exit from the 2013-14 Ashes series in Australia following the first Test in Brisbane with what team officials later said was “situational anxiety”.

England captain Alastair Cook, paying tribute to Trott, said, “It has been an absolute honour to play alongside Trott in every one of his 52 Tests. He can be incredibly proud of all he has achieved in his career
and it’s no coincidence that his time in international cricket has seen the team achieve some very special things often with Trott at the heart of our success on and off the field.”

Trott took some time out from cricket before forcing his way back into the England set-up through sheer weight of runs for Warwickshire and the
second-string England Lions. 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 6^th,  2015.

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