Cricket: Vaughan rounds on Trott critics

Michael Vaughan believes all those who criticise England batsman Jonathan Trott for slow scoring are talking “nonsense”.

Trott top-scored for England with 109 not out off 104 balls but could not prevent an 86-run defeat against New Zealand at Southampton on Sunday that saw the tourists take an unbeatable 2-0 lead in a three-match one-day series.

South Africa-born Trott, 32, has often been accused of slow-scoring.

But former England captain Vaughan said the real batting issue for England’s one-day side was the form of the rest of the top order, not Trott’s method.

Asked if the criticism might get to Trott, Vaughan — who led England to Ashes glory in 2005 – said: “I hope not, because I think it is nonsense, I really do.

“The Trott debate was a debate maybe two years ago, but it is null and void now because he has scored 2,500 runs.

“He has a strike rate of 75. I know that if everyone strikes at 75, the average score will be 225. What is important are the other players around him — they are the ones I would be looking at rather than Jonathan Trott.

“If you have someone who averages 50 and regularly scores you runs, the rest of the batting order should be able to play the natural game, be a bit more aggressive and get you to the 275-325 target.

“Whoever is criticising Trott at this moment in time, they don’t know the game.”

Trott also top-scored in England’s five-wicket defeat in the first one-day international at Lord’s but New Zealand seamer Mitchell McClenaghan was not overly concerned by the prospect of the Warwickshire batsman taking a match away from the tourists.

“We’re quite in control of being able to contain Trotty,” he said at Trent Bridge, where the third and final match of the England-New Zealand ODI series takes place on Wednesday.

Asked whether it might even be better for New Zealand to avoid dismissing Trott, McClenaghan said: “It could be the case sometimes, but Jonathan has set up a lot of wins for England.

“When they have chased down a big total he’s been there at the end.

“He’s definitely the rock of their unit – but I don’t mind bowling to him.”

Hosts England will begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Australia in Edgbaston on Saturday on the back of their first home one-day series defeat in four years but Vaughan said Alastair Cook‘s side could still clinch their first major title in the 50-over format.

“England have got a great chance of winning the Champions Trophy,” said Vaughan. “But they have chosen the wrong time to lose the first series since 2009 – the week before it starts, so they are not going into it with any kind of confidence.

“If they come out of the blocks and beat Australia, they will be right back in the hunt and one of the favourites to win the trophy.

“I’m not worried yet. I think (bowlers) Steven Finn and Stuart Broad not being in the last two games (through injury) was a big loss, and Kevin Pietersen is a huge loss as well with his injury.

“There are two areas England need to work on. On the tactical side of when they are in the field, what they do for the first 35 overs – be a bit more aggressive, try to take more wickets.

“And when they bat, I think they have got to be a bit more powerful. I think they are really lacking Pietersen because of that power factor.”