adminLONDON. — England players past and present expressed shock and offered support after batsman Jonathan Trott withdrew from the Ashes cricket tour of Australia yesterday due to a “stress-related illness”. The surprise departure, which echoes a situation involving Marcus Trescothick in 2006-2007, comes after Trott made disappointing scores of 10 and nine in England’s 381-run first-Test defeat in Brisbane.
Trott’s display was blasted as “poor and weak” by Australia batsman David Warner, in comments that drew censure from England captain Alastair Cook and head coach Andy Flower.
England all-rounder Stuart Broad pledged support for Trott on Twitter, writing: “Love Trotty. Absolute champion of a man. He knows he has all the support of all the people around him. Puts cricket in perspective.”
Former England captain Nasser Hussain said the news had come as “a real shock”, while another former skipper, Michael Vaughan, expressed regret for questioning Trott’s performances in the media.
“I do feel guilty for criticising Trott this week . . . I wasn’t to know what he was going through and I can only comment on what I see,” Vaughan wrote on Twitter.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said Trott, 32, would take an indefinite break from cricket and would not be returning to the five-Test tour. — AFP.
Online Reporter