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Trott eyes England recall

ESPN staff
September 17, 2014
Jonathan Trott has targeted a return to the England team © Getty Images
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Jonathan Trott has announced he is ready for an England recall despite missing out on a central contract last week.

Trott, 33, scored 164 for Warwickshire against Northamptonshire last week and revealed how he is once again enjoying his cricket after withdrawing from England's ill-fated Ashes tour in November with a stress-related condition.

"There's been some challenging times," Trott told the BBC. "Some tough times. But I have been available a while, for the last month or two, I suppose, in terms of selection, and I am enjoying my cricket.

"I have been feeling good for a while now. It has been great going back to Warwickshire. The last couple of months with Warwickshire have been fantastic."

However, for Trott to reclaim his No.3 spot in England's batting line-up, he would have to replace the in-form Gary Ballance who has accumulated an impressive average of 60.75 in eight Tests.

Ballance was also one of six players to earn their maiden central contracts with England, who are continuing to re-build under Peter Moores after the disastrous 2013-14 Ashes series in Australia.

"The England and Wales Cricket Board and I have had our final get-together and I have been signed off by the ECB," Trott added. "Whatever comes along with regards to selection, maybe. I'm not putting too much pressure on myself."

England's approach of introducing fresh, young talent into the national team has seen a number of senior figures such as Matt Prior and Kevin Pietersen replaced by the likes of Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali although, Warwickshire's chief executive Colin Povey believes there could still be a place for Trott in the new set-up.

"There is clearly in the ECB's mind an element of risk and we need to establish the core of the next generation rather than harking backwards," Povey said.

"But if he keeps grinding them out like he has done and Cook breaks a finger, who else is ahead of him?"

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