ENGLAND opening batsman Marcus Trescothick has been labelled a "crackpot" and pinpointed for a ruthless Aussie verbal barrage during the Ashes.
The high-class batsman is mysteriously out of the Champions Trophy with a "stress-related illness", which has split the England squad and cast doubts on his ability to handle the relentless Ashes pressure-cooker.
Coined "Stresscothick" by England's media, his sudden return from the tour to India earlier this year was cloaked in secrecy. It was initially blamed on family reasons and later changed to a virus.
Queenslander Stuart Law, the former Australia batsman now living and playing in England, says the constant mystery over Trescothick's health portrays a fragile character who is the England weak link.
Law, a close confidante of England skipper and Lancashire teammate Andrew Flintoff, predicts Trescothick could be a passenger.
"He's a bit of a crackpot isn't he?" Law said.
"You could feel a bit sorry and feel some sympathy for him if he came out and said what was going on.
"But his story keeps changing. One minute he's got a runny nose, then he's got a sore leg, then he's got personal problems. You don't know what to believe.
"There has to be a big question mark over him and his mental fatigue. When push comes to shove in Australia this summer he looks like one bloke who won't handle it.
"There were too many niceties during last year's Ashes and Australia won't be into that this time."
Trescothick's form has deteriorated since the Indian tour, having reached 50 only once in 11 Test innings.
The left hander, 30, has rarely shone against Australia, not scoring a century in 15 Tests.
His form on foreign soil, where he averages just 35, remains a concern and Australia's brains trust knows that winning the early battle against the opener will go a long war towards winning the Ashes war.
As Trescothick prepares to be pitched into the lion's den against Australia, former England captain Alec Stewart has backed him to handle Australia's sledging.
"The Aussies are Aussies and whether you're good, bad or indifferent they will have something to say to you, but it won't be anything that Tres hasn't heard before," Stewart said.
"When you're playing against Australia you tend to block out most of what's being said anyway; you're more interested in focusing on the next ball."
Although reverse swing won't be as much of a factor on the hard Australian grounds, England is planning to stick to tactics similar to those that produced its Ashes win last year.
Law expects his former Queensland teammate Matthew Hayden and vice-captain Adam Gilchrist to be prime targets.
"They targeted the right players last time and I think they see Hayden and Gilchrist as real keys for Australia," Law said.
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Is he too mentally weak to perform in Australia ?
The high-class batsman is mysteriously out of the Champions Trophy with a "stress-related illness", which has split the England squad and cast doubts on his ability to handle the relentless Ashes pressure-cooker.
Coined "Stresscothick" by England's media, his sudden return from the tour to India earlier this year was cloaked in secrecy. It was initially blamed on family reasons and later changed to a virus.
Queenslander Stuart Law, the former Australia batsman now living and playing in England, says the constant mystery over Trescothick's health portrays a fragile character who is the England weak link.
Law, a close confidante of England skipper and Lancashire teammate Andrew Flintoff, predicts Trescothick could be a passenger.
"He's a bit of a crackpot isn't he?" Law said.
"You could feel a bit sorry and feel some sympathy for him if he came out and said what was going on.
"But his story keeps changing. One minute he's got a runny nose, then he's got a sore leg, then he's got personal problems. You don't know what to believe.
"There has to be a big question mark over him and his mental fatigue. When push comes to shove in Australia this summer he looks like one bloke who won't handle it.
"There were too many niceties during last year's Ashes and Australia won't be into that this time."
Trescothick's form has deteriorated since the Indian tour, having reached 50 only once in 11 Test innings.
The left hander, 30, has rarely shone against Australia, not scoring a century in 15 Tests.
His form on foreign soil, where he averages just 35, remains a concern and Australia's brains trust knows that winning the early battle against the opener will go a long war towards winning the Ashes war.
As Trescothick prepares to be pitched into the lion's den against Australia, former England captain Alec Stewart has backed him to handle Australia's sledging.
"The Aussies are Aussies and whether you're good, bad or indifferent they will have something to say to you, but it won't be anything that Tres hasn't heard before," Stewart said.
"When you're playing against Australia you tend to block out most of what's being said anyway; you're more interested in focusing on the next ball."
Although reverse swing won't be as much of a factor on the hard Australian grounds, England is planning to stick to tactics similar to those that produced its Ashes win last year.
Law expects his former Queensland teammate Matthew Hayden and vice-captain Adam Gilchrist to be prime targets.
"They targeted the right players last time and I think they see Hayden and Gilchrist as real keys for Australia," Law said.
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Is he too mentally weak to perform in Australia ?
