Well, what an interesting development this is.
And it's good news for England. And good news for Trott too. IMO.
Anybody listening to the commentary throughout the first test would have noticed how much the TMS commentators were talking about Trott. It was pretty obvious they could see straight away there was something going on. And it's been building for a while too.
And the Aussies picked it up. There were onto it like a flash. Blimey, they know how good he is. He's hardly a novice against Australia is he? They could see straight away the problems he was having, and they came right out with it, no messing around, just like Aussies do. And they were spot on. And it's fair game. Do they ahve knowledge of his MH issues?I really doubt it. All they see is a guy putting himslef forward in one of the most hostyile, comp[etitive sporting environments you could imagine. Trott's team mates probably knew, the Aussies knew and finally Trott has nowhere to go, but to admit it to himself. The game's up. Whatever he has going on right now, has obviously started to really encroach more into his concentration and that's a nightmare scenario if you're in that kind of colosseum environment. I wonder had the Aussies not started on him whether he would have been tempted to carry on, hoping it would all sort itself out. Paradoxically they've probably done England a favour.
Trott's a very kind of nervous, obsessive, compulsive kind of character with all the rituals he has to go through before he can face the next ball. It's fine when he can hold it all together, but when things fall apart, heaven knows what he's trying to hold together. And as much as I have empathy for anybody with HM issues [god knows I've had a few myself], the last place you want to be in batting at No3 against Australia in an ashes series. Like, for goodness sake, get the f*** out of there.
And thankfully he has.
And if anybody thinks the level of sledging is any worse than it ever has been, sorry, I just don't believe it. Think Lilly and Thompson? Can you imagine what that was like batting with those two animals bearing down on you? And if you think the English players don't reciprocate then well, I just don't buy it. The difference is these days we have stump mics. We get it all. Years ago we heard nothing.
This is good news for both England and Trott. For Trott he gets to exhale a huge sigh of relief and go curl up a corner somewhere and lick himself better, and England get the chance to regroup with a different team and come once more.
Strangely enough I'm more optimistic than I was yesterday.
