Trescothick retains England ambition

Marcus Trescothick is itching to make his England comeback - despite insisting he is not yet ready to return.

The 31-year-old looked in prime form on Tuesday in smashing 185 not out in Somerset's LV County Championship Division Two match at Northamptonshire.

"It is nice to play these games with slightly less pressure on you but I would swap it at a drop of a hat just to go back into the intensity of a Test and to know that a hundred really counts for something," he said.

Trescothick withdrew from last winter's Ashes tour after suffering a recurrence of a stress-related illness, but he was included in a 25-man 'Performance Squad' for this summer's home Tests.

"I'd play tomorrow if I thought I was fit enough to do it but there are a few more hurdles to overcome first," he added.

"It would not be fair to the team and it's not fair to me, so I have to make sure that I'm doing the right thing.

"I don't think I'm in contention for a Test call-up.

"As I have said before, it's not the right time to suddenly jump straight back in and put myself back up for selection.

"A few more knocks like that and, if I continue with that sort of form for a long period of time, then we will have to think about it again.

"I haven't officially told the selectors I'm not available but I spoke to [captain] Michael Vaughan last week, and said where I am."