better now than later

Trescothick - would have been a sitting duck.

By Graham Shaw

It might sound harsh, but losing Marcus Trescothick now is the best thing for all concerned.

Those pundits who claim the void he leaves is too massive to fill, just consider the carnage his inclusion at Brisbane might have caused.

An out-of-form opener with mental demons (something the whole world knew) against a fired-up McGrath and Lee. No contest.

The chances of the Somerset man regaining his mental equilibrium and his form in time for the Gabba were slim to none...and in my mind slim clearly wasn't at home.

Including Trescothick for the early stages of the series could have done terrible damage to our hopes of retaining the urn.

Yes it will be hard without him, just as it is without Michael Vaughan.

But this is one series where passengers are definitely persona non grata. And much as I feel for Tresco and his current predicament, that means his exit will benefit both him and England.