MARCUS TRESCOTHICK, the England opening batsman, has signed a three-year rolling contract with Somerset that will tie him to the club for the rest of his career.
Trescothick, 30, is centrally contracted to England at present, and this new, innovative contract, thought to be the first of its kind in the game, will take effect when his Test career is over, probably in his midthirties. He wants to continue playing at county level for as long as he is fit to do so, which, as with Andrew Caddick, his colleague, should be until incipient middle age.
The contract will also provide compensation for the Somerset members and supporters who have seen all too little of him over the past few years.
“We hope Marcus will play for England for as long as possible, but this guarantees Somerset at least three years from him when his Test career is over — and conceivably more,” Richard Gould, the chief executive, said. Until then, Trescothick will be made available by England only for the occasional first-class or one-day fixture.
Trescothick is a West Countryman by birth and is settled in Taunton with his wife, Hayley, and young daughter, Ellie Louise. He has no wish to move, even though he could realistically expect to earn more from one or two other counties, notably those with greater revenue through staging international cricket, and is often to be seen on the County Ground as a spectator even when there is no necessity for him to appear. A popular figure with his colleagues, he would like to play more county cricket than he is permitted to do by Duncan Fletcher, the England coach, and, no doubt, would like to captain Somerset on a full-time basis in due course. He has yet to receive a benefit from the club despite making his debut 13 years ago.
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“I have always been treated well by Somerset and have always loved playing at Taunton since I made my debut at the age of 17. I want to play cricket for as long as I possibly can do,” Trescothick said.
His status as a centrally contracted player is not in dispute, but, as a family man, he is not likely to want to carry on touring for ever.
Graham Thorpe, who retired from Test and county cricket last summer to take up a coaching position with New South Wales, is ready to make a comeback in Australia. The former Surrey and England batsman may be required to play for the state if Simon Katich, Michael Clarke and Phil Jaques are picked for Australia’s tour of South Africa.
Thorpe, 36 and a veteran of 100 Tests, was intending to give up playing altogether at the end of March, but he has just scored 79 and 68 for Balmain in Sydney grade cricket and Brian Taber, a New South Wales selector, said: “A lot will depend on how much we are affected by Australian selections but Graham is certainly in the loop. Those fifties for Balmain show he’s got his land legs now. ”
Thorpe said: “If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen and I’m not going to lose any sleep over it, but if I’m asked I would be happy and proud to play. It would be a great honour.”
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England stumbled into the Super League knockout stage of the Under-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka with a four-run victory over Ireland, for whom Niall McDarby took six for 50, the best figures in the tournament. “My nails are bitten down,” Andy Pick, the England coach, said. “We keep winning and that is the best you can say.”
There was new hope for Zimbabwe cricket after a series of meetings appeared to have settled the long-running dispute between the players and the board. The players have been offered seven-month contracts and most are expected to sign.