Marcus Edward Trescothick (born 25 December 1975) is an English former cricketer who played first-class cricket for Somerset County Cricket Club and represented England in 76 Test matches and 123 One Day Internationals (ODIs). He was Somerset captain from 2010 to 2016 and temporary England captain for several Tests and ODIs. Since retirement, he has commentated and coached at both county and international level.
A left-handed opening batsman, he made his first-class debut for Somerset in 1993 and quickly established himself as a regular member of the team. Seven years later, Trescothick made his ODI debut against Zimbabwe in July 2000. His Test debut, against the West Indies, followed in August. Although former England captain Nasser Hussain likened Trescothick's build and batting temperament to that of Graham Gooch, his stroke play is more reminiscent of David Gower.
An aggressive opener, he once held the record for the most ODI centuries of any English player and fastest half-century in English T20 cricket. Trescothick is also an accomplished slip fielder and occasional right-handed medium pace bowler who kept wicket for England in five ODIs and deputised as England captain for two Test matches and ten ODIs.
Trescothick was an automatic choice for England between 2000 and 2006 before a stress-related illness threatened his career and forced him to pull out of the national squad. He began rebuilding his career with Somerset in 2007 and scored two double centuries that season. However, he remained uneasy about returning to international cricket and announced his retirement from internationals in March 2008, opting to continue playing at county level for Somerset. Media speculation continued as to a possible international return, although Trescothick repeatedly voiced his intent to remain in retirement and has suffered recurrences of his condition in both 2008 and 2009 when Somerset toured abroad. He nevertheless continued to play for Somerset while also working as a commentator and analyst for Sky Sports in the off-season. He finally retired in 2019, holding several Somerset batting records. He is currently the lead batting coach for the England Test team.
Early years Marcus Edward Trescothick was born on 25 December 1975 in Keynsham, Somerset. He was the younger of two children born to Martyn and Linda Trescothick; his sister, Anna, is three years his senior.Trescothick 2009, p. 18. His father was a good amateur cricketer and had played two matches for Somerset County Cricket Club's second team and appeared for Bristol and District Cricket Association between 1967 and 1976 before becoming a stalwart at Keynsham Cricket Club, where his mother made the club teas. Trescothick was immersed in cricket from an early age; the notice announcing his birth in the local newspaper had a quote from his father saying "he will have every encouragement to become a cricketer when he grows up", and he received his first cricket bat when he was eleven months old.
During his time at St Anne's primary school, he was chosen to play for the Avon School under-11 (U-11) cricket team. He scored the first century for Avon, striking 124 against Devon and, a couple of weeks, later remained not out on 183 when the coach declared the innings closed; the coach said, "if I let him get a double-hundred at his age, what else would he have to aim for?"Trescothick 2009, p. 21. That score of 183 created some interest in the local media, and Gloucestershire County Cricket Club invited him to play for its under-11 team. In his second match for the county he scored a century against Somerset—which then discovered that Trescothick, living in Keynsham, was qualified to play for it, and he switched from Gloucestershire to Somerset, proud to play for his father's old county club.Trescothick 2009, p. 22.
His education continued at the Sir Bernard Lovell School in Oldland Common near Bristol, and by the age of 14, he was playing alongside his father for Keynsham in the Western League. Around the same time, he was selected to play for the England under-14s alongside future international team-mates Andrew Flintoff and Paul Collingwood. In his autobiography, Coming Back to Me, Trescothick recalls that he was bigger than most of the other boys his age, which gave him a strength advantage, enabling him to hit the ball harder and further than others. At the same time, concerns were raised about his "portly" figure, with suggestions that he would need to work on his fitness.Trescothick 2009, pp. 24–25. The following season, aged 15, Trescothick scored 4,000 runs between all the different teams he was representing, which by this time included the Somerset under-19s. He was named as the "outstanding young cricketer of the year" by The Cricketer.Trescothick 2009, pp. 26–27. He was nicknamed Tresco and Banger, the latter deriving from his diet as a young player: My diet was sausages then, in no particular order, sausages, chips, sausages, toast, sausages, beans, sausages, cheese, sausages, eggs, and the occasional sausage.
Early domestic career Trescothick's first full season at Somerset in 1994 was one of his best, where he scored a total of 925 runs, including two centuries and eight half-centuries at an impressive batting average of 48.63.First-class Batting and Fielding in Each Season by Marcus Trescothick , CricketArchive. Retrieved 14 July 2007. Having played for the England U-19 cricket team against the West Indies U-19 in 1993, and Sri Lanka U-19 and India U-19 in 1994, Trescothick was named captain for the two Under-19 series against West Indies and South Africa in 1995. His career aggregate of 1,032 runs for England U-19 is second only to John Crawley's 1,058.Career Batting and Fielding for England in Youth Test Matches , CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 November 2007.Marcus Trescothick profile , ecb.co.uk. Retrieved 12 July 2007.
Trescothick was not as successful in domestic cricket in 1995, although there were still some highlights including an innings of 151 against Northamptonshire (a third of his season's total), and a hat-trick, including the wicket of century-maker Adam Gilchrist, for Somerset against Young Australia.Somerset v Young Australia in 1995 , CricketArchive, 7 July 1995. Retrieved 10 June 2007. Trescothick's England Under-19 form was still excellent, averaging 74.62 with the bat in six matches. His Under-19 teammates would often mock him for wearing an England blazer after his matches; Trescothick would reply by saying that "it might be the closest I get to playing for England".
The following five years were mixed for Trescothick. Averaging about 30 runs per innings, he was often criticised for a lack of foot movement. David Gower described Trescothick's technique by saying "he does not need to move a long way but needs to move enough. When he is playing well ... he is very good at transferring weight. When he is not playing well, his feet get stuck".Gower, David. "Stand and deliver", ESPNcricinfo, July 2006. Retrieved 14 July 2007. However, Trescothick was awarded the NBC Denis Compton Award for Somerset's most promising young county player in the 1996 and 1997 seasons. In 1997, Somerset Second XI were set 612 to win by Warwickshire Second XI, and Trescothick scored 322 to bring the Seconds to 605.
In 1999, Trescothick impressed Glamorgan coach Duncan Fletcher in a county match at Taunton, by scoring 167 in a low-scoring match where the next-highest innings was 50. When England opening batsman Nick Knight sustained a finger injury in 2000, Fletcher, who had been appointed England coach, called on Trescothick to make his England debut in the NatWest Series against Zimbabwe and the West Indies.NatWest Series Newswire, ESPNcricinfo, 9 July 2000. Retrieved 11 June 2007. Trescothick's regular selection for England meant that he was rarely available for domestic selection between 2000 and 2006, often playing only a few matches for Somerset at the start of the season.
International career
Debut and centuries on maiden tour Trescothick participated in two England A tours during the winter of 1999, but his full One Day International debut came against Zimbabwe at The Oval on 9 July 2000, when he scored 79.England v Zimbabwe, 8 July 2000 , CricketArchive, 8 July 2000. Retrieved 11 June 2007. He continued his good form in the tournament with a Man of the Match–winning 87 not out against the West Indies at Chester-le-street,England v West Indies, 15 July 2000 , CricketArchive, 15 July 2000. Retrieved 11 June 2007. amassing 288 runs at an average of 48.00 and taking two wickets against Zimbabwe at Old Trafford.Natwest Series, 2000 Averages , ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 13 June 2007.
As a result of his good form in the NatWest series, Trescothick was given his Test match debut later that summer in the third Test against the West Indies at Old Trafford."Trescothick wins Test call", BBC Sport, 24 July 2000. Retrieved 13 June 2007. He displayed a calm temperament when England lost early wickets, scoring 66 and forming a partnership of 179 with Alec Stewart."Second new ball worry for Stewart" , BBC Sport, 5 August 2000. Retrieved 13 June 2007. Journalist Thrasy Petropoulos observed that there was "poise and durability...just as there had been enterprise and verve to his impressive start in the one-day arena".Petropoulos, Thrasy. "Trescothick takes his bow" , BBC Sport, 4 August 2000. Retrieved 13 June 2007. He ended the Test series with an average of 47.50.
England began the 2000–2001 winter tour with the 2000 ICC KnockOut Trophy at Nairobi Gymkhana Club. Trescothick did not score highly in the tournament, and England were knocked out at the quarter-final stage against South Africa."England suffer Dipp in form ", BBC Sport, 10 October 2000. Retrieved 13 June 2007. Trescothick was named the Professional Cricketers' Association Player of the Year for his performances for Somerset throughout 2000.Marcus Trescothick, CricketArchive. Retrieved 14 July 2007.
Trescothick's maiden international century came against the Sindh Governor's XI in October 2000, during the first warm-up match to the Pakistan series."Comfortable win for England", BBC Sport, 20 October 2000. Retrieved 13 June 2007. Trescothick reached his highest score (71) of the three Test matches in the opening innings of the first Test. He took his sole Test wicket in the third Test, when Ashley Giles caught the Pakistan opener Imran Nazir.Pakistan v England, third Test , CricketArchive, 11 December 2000. Retrieved 13 June 2007.
Trescothick began the England in Sri Lanka tour with a century against a Sri Lanka 'Colts XI'. He was the top scorer in both innings of the first Test with 122 and 57, although this was overshadowed by Marvan Atapattu's 201 not out in Sri Lanka's innings.Sri Lanka v England, first Test , CricketArchive, 26 February 2001. Retrieved 14 June 2007. Trescothick averaged 41.33 in the Test series, but only 16.00 in the three subsequent ODIs.England in Sri Lanka 2001, Test averages, ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 14 June 2007.England in Sri Lanka 2001, ODI averages, ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 14 June 2007.
England played two Test matches against Pakistan in June 2001. Although Trescothick scored 117 in the second Test, it was not enough for England to win the match.England v Pakistan in 2001, second Test , CricketArchive, 4 June 2001. Retrieved 14 June 2007. His ODI form improved at the start of the 2001 NatWest Series against Australia and Pakistan, with scores of 69 and 137 respectively.England v Pakistan, 3rd ODI, CricketArchive, 12 June 2001. Retrieved 14 June 2007. However, his series ended with two consecutive ducks, and England lost all their matches in the tournament.England v Pakistan, 5th ODI , CricketArchive, 17 June 2001. Retrieved on 14 June 2007.National Westminster Bank Series, 2001 Points table , CricketArchive. Retrieved on 14 June 2007.
England's leading batsman, 2001–02