It is always disappointing to see a player’s international career come to an unexpected and premature end – even if it is a Pom. The news came through on Friday that Marcus Trescothick had left his Somerset teammates to head back to England after a relapse of his stress related illness during the Champions Twenty20 tournament in India.
I found this latest chapter Trescothick’s life both sad and inspiring.
Sad in that even if he has another summer like the one just gone where he was voted as the English domestic player of the year, any chance of playing for England again is gone for good.
Inspiring in that he continues to face up to the challenge of not only trying to overcome his illness and look to continue his career but his willingness to seek help when times get tough.
Marcus Trescothick’s autobiography ‘Coming back to me’ is one of the more interesting and captivating cricket autobiographies I have read.
In the book, he is very open in talking about the struggles that he has had, leading to the meltdown in an Indian hotel room in 2006 and then the second public relapse in Sydney at the beginning of the 2006/07 Ashes tour of Australia.
The fact that out of 332 pages only 12 are dedicated to the 2005 Ashes series tells you that it is more than just another book boasting about past glories.
Recently it looked promising from the outside that there could be a chance that Trescothick was potentially on the road to the international scene. His form for Somerset led to talk of bringing him back for the Oval decider in this year’s Ashes series. While it didn’t eventuate, the fact that he was considered a real chance must have given all a glimmer of hope.
During the Champions Tournament, he looked at ease on the field and even seemed relaxed and confident enough to add to the commentary from his position on the field. However, it seems that the pressure to perform and being away from home was all too much.
According to an interview by Brian Rose, Director of Cricket for Somerset on www.clt20.com “…he came to me after the second game and explained that he really was finding it very difficult to give his hundred percent, both physically and mentally.”
Rose also made the comment in the same interview that “He needs to come to terms with the fact that he might be playing domestic cricket in the UK for the rest of his career”; a sure sign that the dream of returning to the international stage is well and truly over.
Marcus Trescothick isn’t the first high profile sportsperson to come out and talk about his battle with depression. Chances are that he won’t be the last either.
That said, the fact that he has been willing to speak out, seek help and try and beat his demons is something that should be admired.
As he mentions at the end of his book, Trescothick writes that he learnt that depression is an illness and that just because you want to beat it, doesn’t mean it will happen.
“I also learned to seek help first and worry about what people might think of you later” he writes in the afterword of his book.
It may not be the done thing in Australia to show admiration for an English cricketer…but in this case, it is worth making the exception.
Kyle
Guest
Ignorance is sublime in some members of this post. Belittling anyone suffering from ANY illness suggests something VERY wrong in the wiring of the finger pointer (macho hubris Ken....go seek counseling you jerk!).
Fred Magee
Roar Pro
The other major point of all this is no one is immune. It can impact on anyone - including sportpeople who we often think live a charmed life and would not (on the surface) have any cause to suffer from 'the black dog'. Again, after reading his book I was surprised by his openness about what he had been going through and the profound impact it had - ultimately on his livelihood. While he will make a living (and a good one at that) being the domestic professional, knowing that any chance of getting back to the elite level of the sport - representing his country in Test cricket -has evaporate must cut him to the core. That said, he seems to be willing to take one step at at time...sounds corny but it is the only way he can go.
Dave1
Guest
Its not new age. Cricketers are probably less likely to be acloholics or commit suicide than in the past. http://www.newstatesman.com/200109030032 "........... A E Stoddart and Arthur Shrewsbury, both England captains, who opened the batting together in Australia in 1893; S G Barnes, an Australian who shared gigantic stands with Bradman himself; South Africa's Aubrey Faulkner, the Botham of the Edwardian era; Harold Gimblett, Somerset's sublimely gifted opener, whose century in his first county match made him, at 20, the most famous cricketer in England; and, most recently, David Bairstow, a former Yorkshire captain and England wicket-keeper. Is this grim roll call of any significance? In 1998, 1.07 per cent of the 264,707 male deaths in the UK were attributable to suicide; according to David Frith's research, of the 339 England Test cricketers who had died by July 2000, 1.77 per cent were suicides. The figures are even higher for Australia (well, they have to beat us at everything, don't they?), South Africa (an astonishing 4.12 per cent) and New Zealand. In all, Frith has unearthed more than 100 examples from all levels of the game..."
Freud of Football
Roar Guru
I don't know about cricketers being a particularly suicidal lot Spiro, that may be going a bit far but they certainly are under enormous pressure all of the time (not just on the field, they travel the world and are scrutinised no matter where they go). However it's sad to see some very backwards boganesque comments on The Roar; "What a load of limp wristed crap" and "it has absolutely no basis in science at all." I have never suffered from a mental illness but I have seen its effects up close. I have also been under enormous stress playing sport and played across the globe, so for someone to say these afflictions and the causes of them are made up is nonsense. Professional cricketers are playing literally year round and the cream of the crop, ie Marcus Trescothick have to do so on the other side of the globe, away from friends and family for extended periods of time. To think that any player simply does this and is fine with it is nonsense, look at how many cricketers have been divorced over the last decade and compare that with other sports, you'll see just on the basis of that the pressures the game puts on their private life.
Spiro Zavos
Expert
This is an insightful article. Depression is real. It affects women and men and, in my view, is a particularly hostile complaint for a cricketer to suffer from. For cricket is a game that imposes tremendous pressures on the nerves and sensibilities of players. Even the great Bradman appeared to suffer from Trescothick-like 'sicknesses,' described incorrectly by one noted biographer as imaginary, during crucial stages of his career. He missed the first Bodyline Test with one such episode. The imagery of cricket is death imagery. Players hear 'the death rattle' when their stumps are broken. They 'depart the scene' back to the pavilion. They carry their gear in 'coffins,' and so on. There is a very high rate of suicides among professional cricketer. David Frith wrote a fascinating book on the subject and asked whether there was something inherent in the game of cricket itself that encouraged a sort of suicidal tendency. Peter Roebuck disagrees with this thesis. But I believe there is something in the theory. This makes Trescothick's struggles against his black dog moods and scoring runs attractively and quickly such an inspiring story., and his withdrawals from intense competitions that tended to get him down all the more understandable.
stu
Guest
It is an interesting article though Fred - thanks for post. “A lot of people claiming to be depressed have nothing to be depressed about” i disagree, depression is a real and debilitating illness. "Marcus Trescothick should be admired for his very public battle with depression and his willingness to get help when things get tough" I don't think Trescothick should be admired for having a public battle- i think it is shame that he has struggled but that's it -frankly i'd love to see him hit it for 6.
Calexico
Guest
"A lot of people claiming to be depressed have nothing to be depressed about" Yeah - that's why it's an illness. It often has nothing to do with a person's circumstances. Being depressed is different to suffering from depression.
Chris
Guest
Spot on Ken. If someone is injured, disabled, sick, has a sick family member, lost their job etc. then they have every right to be depressed. A lot of people claiming to be depressed have nothing to be depressed about. I don't know what Trescothick's story is - maybe he has a genuine reason to be depressed - but we should certainly not commend the man for being sad! This whole "little black dog" thing is, frankly, crap.
Brett McKay
Guest
Ken, I'm afraid all I can say to you then is 'I'm sorry...'
Fred Magee
Roar Pro
Ken, cant agree with you here - with the fact that it isnt an illness or the fact thaht it was invented by women. Like a lot of things these days, there is a greater awareness of depression now and how it can be treated. Also if the warning signs can be picked up early or there is a self awareness of what is going on, then perhaps more drastic actions can be avoided down the track. I was at the SCG the day that Trescothick had his relapse during the last Ashes tour - since then, especially after reading his book and learning more about what he went through, I have taken an interest in how he is going. I also think he also took away the stigma that sporting people are not immune to what happens in every day life. That and he sought help prior to going down a darker path which may have caused himself and others greater grief. As they say in the classics Ken, I dont agree with your view but I will defend to the death your right to voice it!
Ken
Roar Rookie
Sorry to disappoint Brett, but I am serious. All this new age, softly softly stuff has been foisted on us by women. There was a day when men were men and women were glad of it, but today a lot of males are simply little ladies in men's clothing. Depression is an "illness" invented by women to explain away their neurotic behaviour but it has absolutely no basis in science at all.
Vicki
Guest
Ken for you to say that you've never suffered from depression and have no idea how debilitating it can be when it's at it's worst. Your not a hard man your a very ignorant man and I hope you never know what it's like to suffer from depression as at worst you can't go any lower. Depression is an illness not a weakness and it just show how ignorant you are if you think it's weakness. Good on Marcus Trescothick for admitting he has a problem and for getting something done about it when times get tough just like any illness with the right help you can get better and it is a very cyclable illness that has high and lows.
Vicki
Guest
Fred your story hit the nail right on the head. Marcus Trescothick should be admired for his very public battle with depression and his willingness to get help when things get tough. He's more of a man for admitting there's a problem and getting help than suffering lone. Good on you for writing a great article.
Robb
Guest
You are a hard man Ken - a hard, hard man! Chopper anyone: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=harden+the+fuck+up&search_type=&aq=f
Brett McKay
Guest
Ken, I really hope there's just a very warped sense of humour behind those comments...
Ken
Roar Rookie
What a load of limp wristed crap. He can't play international cricket because he feels "depressed" ? Anyone that soft should not ever be considered for a national team in the first place. Depression is not an illness, it's a weakness.
Brett McKay
Guest
Great piece Fred. I too was shocked to hear Trescothick had gone home, because he looked so at ease in the one CLT20 innings of his I saw (admittedly he didn't get many, but he wasn't troubled). If there's a positive to come out of cases such as his, and Shaun Tait's as Freud mentions, it's that sporting bodies are better equipped to deal with mental health than they once were. I have no doubt they could all do a lot more, but the fact that Trescothick could go to the Somerset support staff and tell them he was struggling again means that they've made him feel comfortable in his battle. If it means that a great player now confines himself to the County circuit, well that's a positive for English cricket. Sportspeople of any ability could learn a lot from the trials of Marcus Trescothick.
Freud of Football
Roar Guru
Very interesting piece there FM. I don't mean to take anything away from Trescothick whose situation certainly is unique and quite sad, he is one of England's best batsmen but Australia's own Shaun Tait finds himself in a similar boat. He was the next big thing in Australia's bowling ranks just a couple of years back, express pace and full of aggression he shocked everyone stating he wanted time away from the game. He sorted himself out both physically and mentally and then CA gives him the ultimate kick in the guts, not giving him a contract, only once Symonds fell on his sword was he awarded one. We can't and shouldn't expect all sportsmen to just deal with these issues, that we expect them all to be role-models aswell is simply absurd but the administrators need to play a bigger part in offering the care for these players as well. You won't see a player needing a knee reco be shunned from the sport but apparently mental illness is still taboo in cricketing circles. I hope that Trescothick is handled a lot more professionally than Tait.