Reflections on Day 1 of First Test

The excellent sports writer Simon Barnes wrote a brilliant obituary piece on David Gower's career. In it he argued that Gower's main virtue: the ability to destroy any attack regardless of the circumstances, was the same as his main flaw: the ability to throw his wicket by being unnecessarily aggressive, when the situation required defence. Barnes warned those who defend mercurial geniuses like Gower not to expect any favours from the player himself, who will respond to your loyalty by hitting the last ball before lunch straight to backward square leg in an Adelaide Test in 1991.

Today I realised that this advice works in reverse. Never expect any favours from a player that you are disloyal to. I had criticised Trescothick for his unreliability after walking out on England before the India tour. Following several weeks for reflection he could have come up with a better excuse than a viral infection, which if true would surely have been disclosed at the time. I did not believe that Trescothick deserved to be selected for this match at the expense of Ian Bell who was beginning to reward the selectors for their loyalty. Today, Trescothick top scored with a determined 106, which I have to admit was vintage Trescothick, combining a judicious blend of attack and defence.

Clearly this "virus" cannot thrive in an English climate, but if it breeds in the Australian sun the selectors may still rue their decision to reinstate Trescothick so soon.