Trott wins ECB Player of the Year award

Jonathan Trott has been named England's cricketer of the year - and is hoping his team-mates can follow suit by becoming world-beaters.
Trott received the men's player-of-the-year award at a dinner, sponsored by Brit Insurance, in the Lord's Long Room.
He will be back at the other end of the hallowed turf, in the nursery nets, on Wednesday to begin his preparation for the second npower Test against Sri Lanka.
More success in that match, which begins on Friday, will keep England on course to go second in the world next month - and then perhaps have a chance to topple India in the second half of the summer.
Trott's award is recognition for a prolific year, since the Lord's Test against Bangladesh in 2010, in which his runs have helped to beat Pakistan at home and then win the Ashes in Australia.
Lydia Greenway was named women's cricketer of the year, and Umesh Valjee the England disability cricketer of the year.
Trott made it clear how much the recognition means to him.
Having beaten his captain Andrew Strauss and team-mates James Anderson, Alastair Cook and last year's recipient Graeme Swann to an award based on votes from the cricket media, he said: "I am both extremely humbled and proud to have been named England cricketer of the year after what has clearly been the most enjoyable year of my cricketing career so far.
"It is an honour to represent England and it has been a privilege to be involved in such a successful, hard working team.
"I wouldn't have won this award without the commitment and support of my team-mates.
"This award really belongs to the entire England squad and management team that have provided such a supportive and professional environment that has allowed me to prosper as a cricketer and a person."
In the past 12 months, even before his man-of-the-match double-hundred against Sri Lanka in Cardiff, Trott piled up 2,246 runs at an average of 68.
He currently has the highest Test batting average of anyone in history bar the great Don Bradman, among players who have won as many or more caps.
Yet it is more collective success for England which continues to fire the 30-year-old.
Asked whether they can move up from their present number three to become the top-ranked Test team in the world, he said: "I think it is definitely manageable.
"We are going to have to maintain the form we did through the Ashes.
"I am very hesitant to use the word 'special'.
"But with this group of guys at the moment, I think we might have the potential to push towards that.
"We definitely have the characteristics and desire of a group of players that one day may be able to be described in that sort of way."
As for his own career progression, he added: "You just have to prove it to yourself, and others.
"I'd had a great start

Flower baffled by Trott criticism

Reacting to criticism at Jonathan Trott, Andy Flower says it is unfair to make passing statements on the prolific batsman's slow approach.
Jonathan Trott will return to one of his best hunting grounds at Lord's, with endorsements both in and outside team England.
The prolific number-three batsman, fresh from a man-of-the-match double hundred in a first-Test win over Sri Lanka in Cardiff, on Tuesday night bagged England's men's cricketer of the year award.
Trott - whose previous two Test visits to Lord's have resulted in 226, 184 and a mere 36 not out - was also given a glowing testimony by England coach Andy Flower.
If there have been any qualms about a batsman with a current Test batting average second only to the peerless Don Bradman, among those who have played as many or more matches, it is his scoring rate in all formats.
But Flower is not among the doubters.
"Trott, since he was introduced to this side, has averaged - I'm not sure what - but I think it's above 60 in Test cricket," he said.
"He has been a very solid man to have in our side. I know he's been criticised for his strike rate in one-day cricket. I think in most cases that has been unfair," said Flower.
Trott's latest tour de force, 203 at the SWALEC Stadium, came swiftly enough for England to close out victory despite no help from the Welsh rain and a Sri Lanka first-innings total of 400.
"Certainly I thought this was a superb innings by him - patient, efficient, and he put the bad balls away," added Flower.
"He set the tone not only for this game but the series and, we hope, batting for the summer. Any criticism of him in this instance is unfounded," the coach said.
Flower wants a batting line-up of players who can change the tempo as required.
Flower said: "I think everyone should be able to adjust their games according to the needs of that situation. In Test cricket, there is usually quite a simple formula."
He added: "In limited-overs cricket, it becomes much more complicated, where you have to be a better judge of the situation and then play accordingly. Test cricket is about staying in long enough to score heavy runs, and the run rate is less significant than in limited-overs cricket."
"Of course, everyone has to be adaptable, and we want complete players that can adapt," opined the Zimbabwean.
England on Tuesday called up Surrey swing bowler Jade Dernbach in place of the injured James Anderson, in a squad of 12 for Lord's.
But the coach hinted Steven Finn, close to a Test return in Cardiff, is the front-runner this time.
"Finn looks good to me," he said.
"He looks like he's got his rhythm back, which he lost in Australia. He has done some really good work with Richard Johnson at Middlesex and Gus Fraser - the two guys who know him very well," he said.
"He has also done good work with (England Lions bowling coach) Kevin Shine, and those guys have helped him get back on track," added Flower.
Continuing, Flower said, "Physically, he looks big and strong now - less like a boy and more like a man - and he is bowling with genuine pace. I caught a few balls with the mitt, and he is bowling quick. We will have a decision to make on which bowler to leave out, and it won't be an easy one. But he's got a very good chance of playing at Lord's."

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.Powered by Disqus