Trott eyes England return

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 23: Jonathan Trott of England walks off the field after being dismissed by Mitchell Johnson of Australia during day three of the First Ashes Test match between Australia and England at The Gabba on November 23, 2013 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 23: Jonathan Trott of England walks off the field after being dismissed by Mitchell Johnson of Australia during day three of the First Ashes Test match between Australia and England at The Gabba on November 23, 2013 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Published Oct 29, 2014

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London - Batsman Jonathan Trott said on Tuesday that he was hoping to earn an England recall after being named in the England Lions squad for their 2015 tour of South Africa.

South Africa-born Trott, 33, has not played international cricket since he withdrew from England's Ashes tour of Australia last November due to a stress-related condition.

But after an aborted comeback attempt in April, he made a successful return to action with his English county Warwickshire and has been rewarded with a place in the provisional 14-man Lions squad.

“I seem to have found myself in a situation where I'm enjoying cricket again,” Trott told BBC Radio Five Live.

“I still have aspirations to play for England. If I do hopefully play for England again, I've got to earn my place back.

“I've had that mentality playing for Warwickshire this year and thoroughly enjoyed my season with them; mainly for the second half of the season, admittedly.

“Playing in successful teams like we had at the Bears this year always helps. It's a great place to be.”

Trott shone for Warwickshire in the second half of the 2014 season, scoring four centuries.

“Jonathan Trott's exceptional form and run scoring exploits for Warwickshire at the end of the summer has resulted in his selection for the First Class fixtures at the beginning of the tour,” said national selector James Whitaker in a statement on the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) website.

The second-string England Lions will tour South Africa in January and February, playing two four-day matches and five 50-over games against South Africa A.

Trott will only play in the two first-class matches at the start of the tour.

The right-handed batsman, who no longer has a central contract with the ECB, has played 49 Tests, scoring 3,763 runs including nine hundreds at an average of 46.75.

He is joined in the squad for the four-day games by Middlesex's Sam Robson, who opened the batting for England in their seven Test matches this year, as well as highly rated 22-year-old Kent off-spinner Adam Riley.

Sapa-AFP

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