LONDON, March 9: England opener Marcus Trescothick says he needs a complete break from cricket following a gruelling winter schedule and his country’s World Cup failure.

The 27-year-old Somerset left-hander has been away from home since mid-September as England embarked on the Ashes series in Australia prior to the unsuccessful campaign in South Africa.

“To be honest, I’ve had such a gut-full of playing cricket over the last five months that I just want to get it out of my system,” Trescothick told The Mail On Sunday.

“The combination of all the things we went through over Zimbabwe, being away for so long, not being able to get a break from the environment we were in and my battles with my own form have left me demoralised and frustrated.

“I get so much enjoyment from the game and I love it so much but, at the moment, I’ve reached the stage where a bit of enthusiasm has gone — and that scares me. I am experiencing something I never have before and I thought I never would. I’ve stopped enjoying it.”

After weeks of debate, England refused to play their World Cup fixture against Zimbabwe in Harare because of safety concerns, and subsequently failed to reach the Super Six stage of the competition.—AFP