Cricket
Trott: No problems with needle
2010-07-28 10:48
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England - Jonathan Trott insists he has no problems with opponents who try to wind him up, saying he is happy to cope with any "needle" that comes his way in the Test series against Pakistan.
England play the first of four Tests against Pakistan at Trent Bridge starting on Thursday, with South Africa-born batsman Trott already having shown he can cope with the pressure of the international game.
Trott made a century on his Test debut in England's Ashes series clinching win against Australia at The Oval last year and has since added a double hundred against Bangladesh at Lord's, as well as scores of 94 and 110 in the recent one-day series with the Tigers.
Pakistan stood up for themselves well during a 1-1 Test series draw against Australia, that ended with a three-wicket victory for Salman Butt's young side at Headingley last week.
And Trott, speaking to reporters at England's National Cricket Performance Centre at Loughborough, near Nottingham, on Tuesday, said: "I don't mind a bit of needle.
"Some players thrive on it; for some players, it's something that can get them going or maybe make them a bit more nervous. I don't mind it at all."
The Warwickshire batsman added: "I'm not saying I enjoy people abusing me or bowling beamers at me. It's probably just in my nature to accept it and make myself more determined."
Many players have enjoyed stirring Test debuts only to fade afterwards and Trott is glad to have added some significant scores since that memorable match at The Oval.
"After my first Test, every time I walked out to the crease people were expecting me to bat all day and get another hundred," he said.
"When I didn't get runs after that, people were saying 'he's a flash in the pan'. To go and get a double-hundred reconfirms what people first thought and also to yourself.
"But you don't rest on it. You hope you can score hundreds and double-hundreds in the future."
Trott may have no issues with players who try to unsettle him, but he has been accused of trying to wind opponents with his habit of marking and then re-marking his guard before and after each ball.
"It gets me going," said the 29-year-old.
"Coming to England, I made the line longer because at Edgbaston, in 2003, the wickets were quite slow and I batted out of my crease, and I ended up looking back at my mark and trying to line my feet up.
"It's become a bit of a habit. I'm sure everyone here has got habits.
"I don't do it to get on anyone's nerves or be different. I just do it to get ready."
His traits at the crease have led to plenty of speculation about his character but Trott said there was no great mystery.
"I'm intense when I need to be intense. It's my job and it's important.
"If I walked around flashing around, I don't think I'd last very long.
"It's part of my career - and it's very important to me that I do very well and the team does very well."