Trescothick an inspiration for us all, says Rogers
MARCUS TRESCOTHICK has long been an inspirational figure in cricket and one that shows no sign of waning for Somerset.
The 40-year-old finally scored his first Championship ton at Trent Bridge in his 17th attempt as he moved level with Harold Gimblett at the top of Somerset’s first-class century makers’ list with 49.
Trescothick scored 218 in the first innings and 37 not out in the second as Somerset thrashed Notts by ten wickets to climb to fifth in the table.
He averages 62.40 in the Championship this season and captain Chris Rogers said that Trescothick’s ongoing hunger to make runs is having a knock-on effect on the team.
“Last game here in Nottingham he bagged a pair,a first-baller and a second-baller I believe,” he said after the game.
“To be out on the pitch for the whole game, bar a couple of toilet breaks, is an incredible effort.
“For a guy who is 40 to do that speaks to how much he still wants it. It’s a huge thing for the rest of the guys. They see how much he fights every time he goes out there. He leads by example.We’re so lucky to have him here.
“When I see that batting I think what an amazing effort it is. It all comes down to hunger and how much you want it.When you play with guys like him it reverberates around the rest of the team.”
Defeat for Notts – after being 196-0 on day one following a fine stand between Steve Mullaney (165) and Jake Libby (90) – plunged them into the relegation zone as they slipped from 74-2 to 135 all out on day four.
Notts director of cricket Mike Newell conceded: “We’ve got ourselves into big trouble. We’re where we deserve to be and must make sure we don’t drop any lower.”
Somerset were left 100 to chase, something they managed in 16.5 overs with Johann Myburgh unbeaten on 58 to go with 54 in the first innings.
Victory was sweet for former Australia opener Rogers after Somerset lost in crushing circumstances to Middlesex in their previous match.
In that game he had declared to set Middlesex 302 in 46 overs, a score they reached in the final over.
“I read somewhere that I didn’t have regrets about declaring,” he said. “Of course I had regrets – we lost the game. It left us feeling low but this group is going to get better by being in tough positions. “You don’t learn from playing out boring draws.You learn from being under pressure.This win is huge for us, a fantastic day for Somerset cricket. “We have a fantastic group of young players at Somerset and they responded so well to that loss and to see that response here, in one of the most incredible games I’ve played in, where losing the toss felt like a hammer blow, is so promising. “Of course,we could have been in a tough situation if we had not won so this is a huge result,giving us a bit of breathing space.” It was not all good news for Somerset because they have lost promising fast bowler Jamie Overton, 22, for the rest of the summer with a back injury. Rogers said that it is a major blow for a bowler who he felt could force his way into England’s squad for the next Ashes series. “It’s a blow.It will test our depth.It’s more a blow for him but the club will fight on,” he said. “I challenged him and his brother Craig at the start of the season that they had 32 games to get on the plane for the Ashes.”