Trott gets green light for an England debut as Ashes axe falls on Bopara
UNCAPPED Jonathan Trott was yesterday given the nod to star in England’s Ashes decider with Australia at The Oval this week.
The Warwickshire batsman will bat at No4 for the crucial final Test on Thursday with county colleague Ian Bell moving up the order to three at the expense of the axed Ravi Bopara.
Trott got the nod ahead of Surrey veteran Mark Ramprakash and Kent captain Robert Key as selectors kept faith with the base of the squad which has set up this series decider.
Trott has 1,013 runs to his name in first-class cricket this season, at an average of 92.09, and secured his place in the starting XI with a timely century for Warwickshire against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge on Thursday – sharing an impressive 178-run stand with fellow centurion Bell.
Now, the South African-born 28-year-old admits he is relishing the prospect of taking on the Aussie bowlers in an otherwise daunting Test debut as England look to secure the victory needed to reclaim the Ashes urn. “It has been a good few days and great to hear the news,” said Trott, who played two Twenty20 internationals for England in 2007. “I think any debut match is huge so I have picked a good one I think.
“I’ve been playing pretty well this season and I hope I can continue to do so next week. I’ll try to stay relaxed and let nature take its course and remember it’s just a game of cricket.”
Bopara was made to pay for a wretched series which yielded just 105 runs in seven innings at an average of just 15. He is replaced in the 14-man squad by spinner Monty Panesar.
SQUAD: A Strauss (capt), A Cook, I Bell, J Trott, P Collingwood, M Prior, A Flintoff, S Broad, G Swann, J Anderson, S Harmison, G Onions, M Panesar, R Sidebottom.