Troughton relieved to find form

Troughton had gone four months without a century

Warwickshire batsman Jim Troughton has conceded that he was having a tough time before his century in the County Championship defeat at Durham.

But Troughton's innings of 111, his first hundred since April, could not save the game for the Bears.

"It's been a difficult few weeks - it hasn't really happened and I've lost a bit of form," he told BBC WM.

"You have to try and find it in the middle - Trent Bridge was the start, I batted for a long time there."

The former England one-day star was bearing the burden of absent Ashes heroes Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott for the match at Chester-le-Street, assuming the mantle of being the most experienced Championship batsman in the side.

He's definitely got the temperament to play First Division cricket, which is fantastic

Jim Troughton on 17-year old Ateeq Javid

"It was one of those wickets where there was something in it for the bowlers all the way through," Troughton said after the Bears' eight-wicket defeat.

"Sometimes there'd be a ball with your name on it, so it was a case of cashing in when the loose deliveries were there and riding your luck a little bit."

For a long time on the final afternoon Troughton was partnered by 17-year old Championship debutant Ateeq Javid who batted two-and-a-half hours for his 21.

"I was saying to him - 'just enjoy it'. When I was his age I was playing for Stratford firsts, that was the highest level I was playing," he continued.

"The two games he's played with me have been against England and then against these guys on a sporting wicket, so time at the crease for him was really good.

"He's definitely got the temperament to play first division cricket, which is fantastic."

Warwickshire's next two Championship fixtures see them take on Yorkshire at Scarborough, then Worcestershire back at Edgbaston - two of the teams battling with the Bears to avoid the drop.

And Troughton is well aware that they could prove to be the most important weeks of the season.

"Obviously you want to win every game, but Worcestershire is definitely one you've got to look at," he said.

"They're a team that have been struggling and look pretty much down - we need to take advantage of that."