Jonathan Trott: My first innings for England was the most fun I'd ever had on a cricket field

FROM THE MAG: The former England batsman and co-host of The Cricketer Podcast talks about his Ashes memories as a youngster and as a player ahead of the 2023 series

Huw Turbervill | 15/06/2023 at 15:30

For the July edition of our monthly 'Facing Up' feature, England Ashes hero Jonathan Trott faced questions from our editor Huw Turbervill. This is an abridged version of that interview. To read the full article, grab a copy of the magazine by clicking here.

Did you follow the Ashes when you were growing up in South Africa?

Yes, 100 per cent. I grew up in my dad's sports shop in Cape Town. We had a VHS on the Ashes; Graham Gooch was talking about the series defeat when he was skipper in 1990/91, and comparing it to the triumphant 1986/87 series, when Mike Gatting was in charge.

Ironically, 20 years later Goochie was coaching me in the Ashes. I didn't think those sort of things were possible.

Your Ashes debut in the final Test of the 2009 series went rather well…

Yes, the Test debut was good. I was playing really well. I was confident I'd be able to go out there and score runs: I was excited.

I'll never forget the first innings, when I was run out for 41. I hit the ball to short-leg, and I was outside of my crease. Andy Flower put his head around the door and asked me what it was like. I said it was most fun I have ever had on a cricket field. I enjoyed the moment.

Nobody really knows how a debutant is going to go on the big stage. Players say a lot to coaches as I am finding out now, but that was the honest truth. It set me up to score 119 in the second innings.

Australia had Mitchell Johnson and I always found Stuart Clark a tricky bowler at Hampshire. It shows how my game had progressed that I coped with him. They also had Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus – it was a fine all-round attack.

The series down under in 2010/11 – and you averaging 89 – must have been your high…

It was amazing… as a team we were pretty good, we peaked.

Yes I was pleased with my form, I scored centuries at Brisbane and Melbourne, but everybody chipped in at the right time. I didn't get any runs in the Sydney Test (fifth) but Alastair Cook, Matt Prior and Ian Bell got hundreds. Cookie and I batted out for the day in that first Test and that gave us the momentum.

Other teams have been blown away at the Gabba, but for us to be able to wrestle back the momentum was so important.

The second Test at Adelaide was my favourite Test match of all time – with my run-out of Simon Katich a highlight. I also recall sitting next to Ricky Ponting at the end of the series at Sydney (he missed the match through injury) and drinking a beer with him. That is one of my best off -the-field memories.

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^{Trott bats during Ashes Test match between Australia and England at The Gabba in 2010 [Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images]}

England retained the Ashes in 2013, but you didn't fare quite so well personally…

It was an interesting series. The wickets were quite weird. They were slow, the scoring was trickier.

I got to 40 five times (scores of 40 to 59), but I was never able to convert: I was caught at short-leg, I was lbw inside edging it when Hot Spot wasn't working… things did not go my way, but that's cricket.

It's why you should appreciate it when things go well. Bear in mind I was dropped twice at Brisbane in 2010/11, one was easy to Michael Clarke. Cricket is full of Sliding Doors moments.

Alas your final Ashes series came in 2013/14…

Australia were coming back, doing really well, and I think that it was the end of the cycle for our side.

Some players didn't play again after that, and Andy Flower stepped down at the end. We'd run our race.

Cookie, Stuart Broad, Belly and Jimmy Anderson kept on going, though. That's just the natural way of cricket.

How do you see this summer's Ashes going?

I think it will be similar to the last one here (2019), with some exciting games, but hopefully we can pip them this time.

You are doing a podcast for The Cricketer with George Dobell. Do you enjoy broadcasting?

I did some media stuff when I retired. Coaching gives me enjoyment and satisfaction, working with players, but I like listening to podcasts, and I'm excited that George and I will be soundtracking what should be a huge summer of cricket.

Inside our July 2023 issue of The Cricketer magazine, you'll also find:

Our July issue is a bumper 108-page Ashes preview edition!
- David Gower predicts how this summer’s contest will go
- Graham Gooch recalls his memories of playing in Ashes home series
- Vic Marks notes how the Ashes really riles up journalists
- Simon Barnes: are Tests diminished when you remove the jeopardy?
- Peter Siddle considers whether Australia can finally win in England
- Philip Collins asks: What does Zak Crawley have to do to get dropped?
- Nick Friend previews the women’s Ashes
- Sophie Ecclestone gives us an exclusive interview
- George Dobell says it’s time for ECB to turn inclusion talk into action
- Barney Ronay is full of praise for the Vitality Blast
- Actor Rory Kinnear tells us why he loves cricket
- Surrey are this month’s ‘county in focus’
And much, much more...