BBC SPORT | Cricket | England | Troughton centre stage



By Scott Heinrich BBC Sport Online

As the son of well-known TV and stage actor David Troughton, Warwickshire batsman Jim Troughton should have few problems adjusting to life in the spotlight.

Many obstacles stand in the way of cricket success, not least the theory that emerging talent should wait their turn.

Troughton embarked on the 2002 season, keen to impress but dependant on a healthy dose of luck if he was to make his mark.

"At the beginning of the season I was just looking to get into the side if there were Test call-ups or injuries," Troughton told BBC Sport Online.
Jim Troughton
Troughton took his first-team chance willingly

Injuries did dog the Bears in the early part of summer with Mark Wagh's incapacitation opening the door to the first team.

More than 1,000 Championship runs later and Troughton had secured a place in England's Academy squad.

"Because Wagh was out for a long time it allowed me to set a time-slot to cement myself in the side.

"Instead of one game I had a good month or two months to establish myself and in the end I grew in confidence and had a really good year."

2002 in review

Runs: 1052

Average: 55.36

Centuries: 3

Fifties: 6

Highest score: 131

The 2001 season, Troughton's first on the Bears roster, saw him play just one Championship match in the shadow of fellow novice, Ian Bell.

But in yet another case of swinging doors, the millstone of expectation under which Bell toiled in 2002 allowed Troughton to flourish.

"I suppose I sort of snuck in the back door with 'Belly' because at the start of the season there were talks of him playing in the Tests and he had such a good winter with the Academy," he said.

"All the way through the season I didn't really go through a low, which was very confidence-boosting because I know lows happen."

Troughton is quick to go into bat for Bell, whom Academy director Rod Marsh described as a "tired young man" after a season beset by poor form and injuries.

Flak

"I think he's taken a bit of flak which is unfair in my view because he's still young and has so much experience behind him," he said.

"OK, things didn't go quite right for him in the Championship but things were fine in the one-dayers and the B&H Cup final at Lord's is a perfect example of that.

Bell leads Bears to victory

"So I'm not too worried about Belly and his form as I know that he'll come good next year."

Troughton is on the sick list, too, with a stress fracture of the fibula set to keep him away from Adelaide for the first half of the winter.

He hopes to join his fellow students in time to tour Sri Lanka after Christmas, but beyond that, he is not looking too far.

Jim Troughton
Troughton won an Academy spot for his efforts

"I'm not a massive goal-setter because I think cricket is one of those games where form can be temporary.

"Obviously if you've got class then you know that and if you keep faith in your ability then things will be alright in the long run.

"Also, I am aware that the second season can be a difficult year because a lot more teams have seen your game and suddenly see you as a key player as just filling in the space.

"I'm just looking to get back to Warwickshire and make sure my first-team place is secure, and when I do come back from the Academy I will have worked hard and learned a lot."

England selection may be some time off, but for a Warwickshire team that finished runners-up to Surrey those words are music to the ears.