Hayley: Without you in my life it would have never been the same. I thank you for being there, for following me around the world and never asking for anything in return. I know I have been a pain in the arse at times and I am sure you have wanted to give me a clip now and again. The past couple of years have not been easy for us both, but without you by my side I do not know how I would have got through it. I love you.
Ellie and Millie: You are everything to me. I love seeing your smiling faces every morning and getting your big cuddles and kisses at the end of a long day, I will always be here for you. I love you both.
Mum, Dad, Anna: Thanks for being there, for not shouting when I crashed the car or when I hit another bouncy ball through the patio windows; thanks Anna for never minding having to go to another cricket match when we were young even if you did make me late for my last game that time. I’m sure that bits of this book have been hard to read for you all, but I hope you now understand how much I need you. We live counties apart but you are always close to my heart. I know I do not say it much but I want you all to know I miss you loads and love you very much.
Peter Hayter: Reg mate, thanks for helping me with this book. For our sins we have been blessed with a great friendship and I’mglad we could help each other through tough times. Good luck if you are mad enough to do this again.
Everyone at HarperCollins: Thank you for this opportunity to tell my life story, it has been a lot of fun.
Neil Fairbrother: Harve, thanks for being there, mate. I know it has been tough at times but without your guidance, experience and voice on the other end of the phone it would have been a lot harder.
Richard Bevan: During my time with England your work with the lads was first class but the way you sorted things for me when I needed it most made me feel proud to be part of a great team at the PCA.
For all the professional help I have received from the people at Performance Healthcare (you know who you are): I thank you.
To all the coaches who have passed on their knowledge and advice to me: thanks for helping me achieve my potential and reaching my dream.
Thanks to all the lads I played international cricket with; thanks for some good memories and cracking nights out drinking winners’ beer.
To all who have been involved at Somerset CCC; I have been a professional for 16 years but I will be a fan forever. Thanks for all the sausages.
To all the fans and cricket supporters who have cheered for me and sent me letters of support, thank you.
Everyone at Keynsham CC: Thanks for all your support over the years. I have always enjoyed popping in from time to time; always being greeted with smiling faces and a boat load of piss-taking makes me very happy.
Pete Sanderson: Sanders, mate, what can I say, your endless energy and time you have given me has made me want to keep getting better. I said to you before you were a big part of me doingwell in the Ashes 2005. I just hope you’re ready for the next seven years.
To my close friends Steff, Alex, Jase, Donna, Tux, Dewsy, Greg, Emma: you make my and Hayley’s life so much fun. Here’s looking forward to when we can all dine out together again and get our children to taxi us home.
Last and most important, to Hayley’s parents Sue and Grampy John, thanks for being there for us: your endless hours of help have been so valuable and I do not know how we would have coped without you. Me, Hayley, Ellie and Millie love you both very much.
Marcus Trescothick
July 2008
* * *
Thanks to all those who helped us tell Marcus’s story: to England players past and present, Mike Atherton, Neil Fairbrother, Andrew Flintoff, Angus Fraser, Ashley Giles, David Gower, Nasser Hussain, Steve James, David Lloyd, Alec Stewart, Andrew Strauss and Graham Thorpe; to Peter Anderson, Richard Gould, Andy Hurry, Vic Marks, Peter Robinson, Brian Rose, Gerry Stickley and all the staff at Somerset County Cricket Club; to my colleagues in the media, especially Jon Agnew, Simon Briggs, Mike Dickson, John Etheridge, Iain Fletcher, David Foot, Barney Francis, Richard Latham, Alison Mitchell, Adam Mountford, David Norrie, Scotland’s greatest warrior poet, Derek Pringle, Mike Walters and Richard Walsh; to Richard Bevan of the Professional Cricketers’ Association; to Andrew Walpole of the England and Wales Cricket Board; to Kirk Russell; to Gerrard Tyrell; and to ‘Chris’.
Thanks to Alison Sieff and to Tom Whiting at HarperCollins.
To Sally Davies, Mary Reid, Philip Hayter and Bunty Salisbury, to the late Ann Hamlyn, to Nick Swift and Mary Bunting, and to Reg and Lucy Hayter, as always. Thanks to Mary Hayter, for more than you know, and to Max and Sophie Hayter for putting up with a grumpy old dad.
Thanks to Hayley Trescothick and to Linda and Martyn Trescothick. And finally, to Marcus; mate, we’re getting there.
Peter Hayter
July 2008