| Tremlett has been on the fringes of the England set-up for over a year, earning a call-up to the provisional squad for last summer’s ICC Champions Trophy squad only to be omitted at the final cut.
He had already been named in the ECB’s 25-man Development Squad when an injury to Simon Jones prompted his inclusion for the 2005 NatWest Series.
Tremlett claimed 4 for 32 against Bangladesh at Trent Bridge, the second best figures for an Englishman on ODI debut and particularly memorable for the hat-trick that never was, Mohammed Ashraful chopping the third, decisive ball into the ground and onto the top of the stumps without dislodging the bail.
The medium-fast bowler played in two further matches in the competition and, though he was edged out upon Jones’ return to fitness, is rated by the England hierarchy for his continued improvement since attending Rod Marsh’s Academy.
Having made his debut at just 23 time remains on the side of a player whose grandfather Maurice played three Tests for England against the West Indies in 1948.
A decent lower-order batsman, Tremlett has impressed under Shane Warne’s captaincy at Hampshire but the worry remains that he lacks the pace to exploit his 6ft 7in and trouble batsmen at the highest level.
This concern was compounded by a modest display in his only NatWest appearance against Australia, meaning he still has something to prove to earn a Test place. |
