England Trotts out Jonathan: A career disadvantage in the making?

England management staff found themselves between a rock and a hard place when selecting the squad for their recently concluded tour of the West Indies. Jonathan Trott had expressed his desire to return to international cricket, following a struggle with a stress-related illness. He had played some county cricket towards the end of the season and hit an unbeaten double hundred for the England Lions against South Africa A earlier in the year, but never opened in those games.

England obviously wanted to show Trott that they still believe in him, but the only spot in the batting line-up they had going was the opening role, with Sam Robson now cast aside. In picking Trott in a position where he has very little experience and where he is clearly not suited, England might have done more harm than good to his career.

For the greatest part of the tour to the West Indies, Trott looked uneasy at the crease. His technique was shaky and, for the most part, it was painful to watch. It was like watching Trott’s career disintegrate, made worse by the fact that it could have easily been avoided.

Some will say that, perhaps, it was better this way. Instead of leaving Trott to wonder whether he was still capable of cracking it at international level, he will now know that he is not cut out for it, but that’s a somewhat simplistic view. Considering Trott’s disposition, struggling against a fairly mediocre attack on mostly flat decks, the risk might have only sown even more seeds of self-doubt, and none of that would have been Trott’s fault. Opening the batting, and batting at three or four, are two hugely different things, both tactically and psychologically. The chances of Trott playing international cricket again are incredibly slim, but who is to say what kind of impact this would have had on him as a player at domestic level? When Trott first returned to competitive cricket after suffering with his stress-related illness, he had a relapse. Now, after being back at elite level and failing, what kind of psychological impact is that going to have on him?

It’s too early to tell what kind of impact this tour would have had on Trott, but England’s management of their players continues to confound. In an attempt to look after one of their players, they have not only run the risk of causing damage to him, but they have also indirectly impacted on the career of another player.

In trying to usher Trott into the starting XI, in a position where he is not suited, they have also harmed Adam Lyth’s progress. Lyth, the best opener in county cricket last year and possibly England’s best prospective opener, not only missed out on playing against the West Indies, but also missed out on playing for his county. England’s stubbornness in refusing to allow him to return to play for Yorkshire means that Lyth now has precious little time to prepare for the opening role which is likely to be bestowed on him. There has been no luxury of easing into Test cricket; instead, he will be thrown into the deep end to open the batting against to best swing-bowling pair in Test cricket in swinging conditions in England. Unless, of course, England decides to opt for Alex Hales in the opening role. Hales has notched up 510 runs in the three county games he has played, and with Lyth not having had the opportunity to prove his form in recent weeks, he could end up being dropped before he has even picked. Such farcical management of talent would not be a surprise from the England’s brains’ trust, nor would it be anything new.

England does not seem to learn from the mistakes they continue to make. Their continuous mismanagement is staggering and even management overhauls do not seem to have made even an inkling of difference. With a tough summer and winter a way ahead, things are going to have to get even worse for England before they start to get better. DM