Trott promises to perform well by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:	IJL Trott, RS Bopara
Event:	Australia in British Isles 2009

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DateLine: 17th August 2009

 

Jonathan Trott has promised to remain calm under pressure after being handed arguably the most daunting set of circumstances possible in which to make his England Test debut.

 

The South Africa born batsman was named Sunday in England's 14-man squad for next week's must-win Ashes Test against Australia here at the Oval and national selector Geoff Miller confirmed that, late injury permitting, Trott would play in place of the dropped Ravi Bopara.

 

"I'm chuffed as hell really. I've been playing pretty well this season so hope I can play well this week," Trott told a prominent British radio.

 

"I'm pretty much going to try and stay as relaxed as possible. I'd like to think that under pressure I perform - we'll see this week," added Trott, whose only previous experience of senior international cricket saw him score 11 runs in two back-to-back Twenty20s against the West Indies at the Oval in 2007.

 

The 28-year-old reinforced his case for a Test call earlier this week with 121 for Warwickshire, whose director of cricket Ashley Giles is also an England selector, against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge. That was his fourth first-class hundred of the season and took his overall tally to 1,046 runs at an average of 80.46.

 

Despite Australia needing merely to avoid defeat in south London next week to hold onto the Ashes, Trott said: "A lot of pressure is on the Australian side to retain the Ashes," he added.

 

"I think we have to go out and try to play to win and with that positive mindset hope we will get the result."

 

Ricky Ponting's men require only a draw at the Oval to hold onto the Ashes after whitewashing England 5-0 on Australian soil in 2006/07.