Trescothick backs Cook to stay hot

Alastair Cook has the mental strength to follow up his record-breaking Brisbane double century when the Ashes resumes in Adelaide later this week.
That is the view of former England opener Marcus Trescothick, although he believes the fact that the next match is so soon makes the task more difficult.
"I always found it hard work when you play back-to-back Test matches," the Somerset captain said today.
"You've generally found that people who perform well in the first one found it harder in the second and vice-versa - those who have missed out play better.
"Ten days of Test cricket in 13 or 14 days is hard work mentally and to get back to the level he needs and having that same desire about getting that next 150 or double hundred for us to win the game is going to be tough.
"But form is a funny thing. Some people run with it and when they get a big score they get loads of big scores in a row, so hopefully he can.
"He's a strong character, same as (Andrew) Strauss, and they've got everything in place that they need to be able to continue to perform. If mentally they are not too tired then I'm sure they can do it."
Trescothick, a member of the Ashes-winning side in 2005 who called a halt to his Test career because of a stress-related illness, predicted a 2-1 England win before the start of the series and is sticking with that.
"What a fantastic fightback from the boys and things are looking good,” he added. “The team has prepared well and I don't think we will ever have a better chance of winning a series Down Under.
"But there's still a hell of an amount of work to do and to beat them in the next match is going to take a big effort.
"Australia fought harder than I expected them to, but for them to maintain that is going to be tougher than it will be for England to maintain their level.
"We are a very balanced team, a strong unit, and everything is in place for us to continue to be positive and fight to the end for the whole series, whereas I'm not sure Australia can do that as much.
"They are a little bit unsure about what the best bowling line-up is, so it's harder for them.
"But we still have to keep our performance in perspective. We under-performed in certain places, but did out-perform them in other areas.
"I just think that in putting a marker down with that 500 for one might just play on the minds of the Australians a bit, that if these boys get in they're going to get double hundreds or 150, so you've got to take any opportunity that comes.
"Adelaide is generally a flatter pitch, but if you get a big first innings total on any of the grounds they play it's going to put them under pressure.
"Sydney is generally a result wicket, Melbourne generally a result wicket and in Perth they've already won on this tour.
"I thought England were slight favourites going into the series and now I think Australia realise how strong a team we will be."
As for whether he misses all the excitement around the Ashes, 34-year-old Trescothick, whose last Test was in Pakistan in 2006, added: "I've been watching it and thought it would be good fun to be back playing in it, but I've moved on and times have changed.
"It's been four years now and there are also moments when I've thought I'm glad I'm not over there. It works both ways.
"I want to go on playing as long as I can for Somerset. As long as I feel good enough and warrant being in the side I will continue to do so.

Battling the odds at Adelaide

England's record at Adelaide will not stir much optimism amongst the travelling fans, who will be hoping to see a decisive win in the second Ashes Test.
Despite some early success there, England have prevailed just twice at the Adelaide Oval in 55 years. In 29 Tests spanning back to 1884, England have won eight and lost 16 with five matches ending in a draw.
That last statistic would read six draws had the tourists not collapsed in dramatic style four years ago.
Paul Collingwood hit a magnificent 206 and Kevin Pietersen 158 as England amassed 551 for six in their first innings. Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke then hit tons as Australia responded with 513.
A morale-boosting draw for Andrew Flintoff's side looked imminent with a day remaining - England were 59 for one overnight with a lead of 97 - but they folded in dramatic fashion in the face of the irrepressible Shane Warne.
England lost nine wickets for just 60 runs, which left Australia chasing 168 in the final session. As the shadows descended, Mike Hussey and Clarke saw the hosts to a six-wicket win, a crushing blow from which England could not recover.
England fans need to go back 15 years to savour the taste of victory at Adelaide.
Trailing 2-0 after three matches, Mike Atherton's side knew their chance of regaining the Ashes was gone but they could still level the series if they won the two remaining Tests.
They began well by posting 353 in their first innings thanks to 117 from Mike Gatting and 80 from the captain, but Australia replied with 419 courtesy of a hundred on debut from Greg Blewett.
Graham Thorpe and John Crawley hit 83 and 71 respectively when England batted again while a swashbuckling 88 from Phil DeFreitas left Australia needing 263 to win in 67 overs on the final day.
It would be England's moment, however, with Devon Malcolm and Chris Lewis taking four wickets each to claim victory with just 5.5 overs remaining.
Twenty years earlier, England recovered from 27 for five in their first innings of the fifth Test to win by 205 runs in a series they eventually won 5-1.
Possibly the most famous Test at the venue was back in 1933 when England won what is known as the 'Battle of Adelaide'.
After the tourists scored 341 batting first, emotions ran high on day three when Harold Larwood's bouncer struck Australian wicketkeeper Bert Oldfield, on the head forcing him off the field.
Mounted police were needed to keep the 50,962 crowd in check as the 'Bodyline Series' sunk to a new low.

England-Australia Adelaide records

England wins: 8
Australia wins: 16
Draws: 5
England - highest total: 551 for six; lowest total: 124
Australia - highest total: 582; lowest total: 100
1884: England won by eight wickets
1892: England won by innings and 230 runs
1895: Australia won by 382 runs
1898: Australia won by innings and 13 runs
1902: Australia won by four wickets
1904: Australia won by 216 runs
1908: Australia won by 245 runs
1912: England won by seven wickets
1921: Australia won by 119 runs
1925: Australia won by 11 runs
1929: England won by 12 runs
1933: England won by 338 runs
1937: Australia won by 148 runs
1947: Draw
1951: Australia won by 274 runs
1955: England won by five wickets
1959: Australia won by 10 wickets
1963: Draw
1966: Australia won by innings and nine runs
1971: Draw
1975: Australia won by 163 runs
1979: England won by 205 runs
1982: Australia won by eight wickets
1986: Draw
1991: Draw
1995: England won by 106 runs
1998: Australia won by 205 runs
2002: Australia won by innings and 51 runs
2006: Australia won by six wickets

Birkenshaw scoops lifetime award

Legendary cricket coach Jack Birkenshaw has won the lifetime achievement award at the 2010 UK coaching awards.
The 70-year-old was presented with the gong in a glittering ceremony this evening at the Brewery in London.
Birkenshaw has recently stood down as England women assistant coach after two and a half years, during which time the side won the World Cup and World Twenty20 as well as retaining the Ashes.
The former England, Yorkshire, Leicestershire and Worcestershire all-rounder has been in the game for over 50 years as a player, coach and umpire.
His career coaching highlights also include winning the County Championship in 1996 and 1998 as head coach at Leicestershire.
The ECB’s Gordon Lord was named the coach educator of the year. Lord has had a profound influence on shaping the overall development of the ECB coaching pathway.
He chairs the ECB national source group and is also head of elite coach development, a position that has seen him play a leading role in developing a high-performance coaching strategy.
Graduates of the ECB UKCC Level 4 programme include three current international head coaches; Andy Flower (England), Ottis Gibson (West Indies) and Alan Butcher (Zimbabwe), while 17 of the current 18 first-class county head coaches are also products of the system.
Elsewhere, London Cricket coach Mike Bohndiek was named young coach of the year for making a huge impact in the Tower Hamlets district of London - one of the most deprived areas in the country.
Bohndiek has adapted his coaching to meet the needs of the diverse range of cultures in the borough, which has included securing funding to employ a full-time Bengali coach.
He has increased participation in sport through cricket and has seen five of his district players make the jump to county level in 2010. He has also encouraged under-17 and under-18 players to take coaching courses.
Meanwhile, Flower missed out on the high-performance coach of the year award - won by Peter Cowen, who has helped Lee Westwood to top golf’s rankings

Trott ready to start from scratch

Jonathan Trott had the measure of Australia's attack for more than six hours at the Gabba, but knows he and his team-mates will have to begin all over again at the Adelaide Oval.
Trott's unbeaten hundred in an unbroken triple-century second-wicket stand was one of three reasons - Alastair Cook's 235 not out and Andrew Strauss' 110 were the others - England left Brisbane on a high.
Captain Strauss has already warned they need to transfer their confidence into runs and wickets again, after the first Ashes Test ended in a high-scoring stalemate.
Trott was reading from the same script today, as he looked forward to Friday's renewal of hostilities.
"I've been pretty fortunate to do pretty well," he said, reflecting on his two hundreds in his only two Ashes Tests so far.
"But individually and as a team, things can change pretty quickly."
Trott began his association with the Ashes with a second-innings century at the Brit Insurance Oval last year to help England win that series 2-1.
But he was the only member of England's top six to go into last week's opening match without a previous half-century on this tour.
"Leading up to the Test match, I felt in good nick but I hadn't been able to kick on and get a big score," he admitted.
"So I was very pleased to contribute to an excellent fightback that was set up by ‘Straussy’ and ‘Cooky’.
"The wicket flattened out, and that's what Test cricket is about.
"It's about hard yards; sometimes you get on wickets as a batter that are tricky to bat on, so it evens itself out.
"At the Gabba it probably wasn't what you want as an ideal Test wicket, but you get on with what you're given - and we did that pretty well.
"Being 200 behind (in the first innings) wasn't ideal. But we showed great character in the way we were able to get back in the game."
In doing so, they took significant toll of fast bowler Mitchell Johnson, who finished with match figures of 0-170 but is expected to retain his place this week - despite the addition of two extra seamers to Australia's squad.
Vice-captain Michael Clarke was another Australia player who did not do himself justice at the Gabba.
He was hampered by a back injury in his preparation for the first Test, but reports himself 100% fit now.
He anticipates too that pace reinforcements Ryan Harris and Doug Bollinger will let no one down, if they oust either Johnson or Ben Hilfenhaus.
Asked about facing Harris and Bollinger during Australia's practice session today, Clarke joked: "I tried to bat in the other net, didn't I?
He added: "They're both class acts, no doubt. They've both had success in international cricket, whether that be one-day or Tests.
"They're both looking forward to an opportunity, and the selectors have obviously got a tough job.
"But we've got to pick the attack we think can take 20 wickets on a pretty good batting wicket."

Tahir back at the Rose Bowl

Imran Tahir will return to Hampshire next season following his year-long loan at Warwickshire.
The leg-spinner spent the 2010 season at Edgbaston, where he was a huge part of the Bears’ Clydesdale Bank 40-winning team.
Tahir signed for Hampshire in 2008, taking nearly 100 first-class wickets in his first two seasons.
He said: “I’m obviously very pleased to be returning to Hampshire. It’s was a sensational year with the Bears and I enjoyed my time there, but it was always part of the plan to return to the Rose Bowl for 2011.
“Between us we will have two one-day titles in the dressing room, and hopefully we will continue to be successful. I will put all my effort into taking wickets and pray we all stay fit.”
Meanwhile, Hampshire have handed new contracts to five players including rising stars Danny Briggs, James Vince and Chris Wood.
All three youngsters played a significant role in the Royals’ Friends Provident t20 success last season and have been rewarded with three-year deals, which will see them remain at the Rose Bowl until 2013.
Also joining them are bowlers David Balcombe and James Tomlinson, who have agreed to stay at Hampshire until 2012. The duo were instrumental in Hampshire’s LV= County Championship campaign last season.
Hampshire manager Giles White said: “I am really pleased that this group of players have committed to Hampshire.
“They are all highly valued members of the squad and have the potential to play a big part in shaping the team’s success over the coming seasons.

Quartet set for Indian winter

The ECB has selected four players to take part in a specialist coaching course in India early next year.
Hampshire batsman James Vince and Somerset wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler will be joined by spinners David Wainwright and Simon Kerrigan of Yorkshire and Lancashire respectively.
The programme is specifically designed to help batsmen develop their skills against spin bowling as well as improve spinners' techniques. However, it will also work on a range of all-round cricketing skills.
Vince said: “It should be really good. They’re mad about their cricket in India so it’ll be a great opportunity to play against some good local bowlers.
“Having played in Australia and New Zealand before it’ll be a bit of a change for me with very different conditions but hopefully that’ll make me more adaptable.
“I’m looking forward to spending some time in the gym at Hampshire up until Christmas and then getting out and playing some outdoor cricket in preparation for next season.”
The course is similar to the fast bowling programme run each winter in Australia, which has helped the likes of Steven Finn, Chris Woakes, Jade Dernbach and Maurice Chambers.