SYDNEY, Nov 19: Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath belives England's hopes of retaining the Ashes faded when Marcus Trescothick returned home last week with a recurrence of a stress-related illness.

McGrath said he had been saddened by the news of Trescothick's breakdown and wished the England batsmen a quick recovery, but said his departure would help Australia's chances of winning the series.

“Marcus Trescothick is a massive loss for England in this series,” McGrath wrote in Sydney's Sunday Telegraph.

“I feel for Tres and what he is going through. It's the sort of thing you wouldn't wish on anybody and, hopefully, it won't be long before we see him back playing test cricket.

“But his departure before this series has begun means that all the England players will be shuffled up the order.”

McGrath, who is returning to the test team for the first timesince January after taking time off to care for his wife while she underwent cancer treatment, said Trescothick's absence would put pressure on players like Kevin Pietersen.

Pietersen was one of England's best peformers in the last Ashes series but McGrath said he would have to carry more responsibility this time.

“Losing a player like Tres and being forced to revamp your batting line-up can unsettle a team considerably,” McGrath wrote.

“Now Trescothick is gone, one can assume Pietersen will bat at No.4 and if we can get him to the crease a couple of wickets down with little on the board -- we'll see if he continues to pack such a positive and attacking attitude.”—Reuters