Trescothick scoops top book award

Former England batsman and new Somerset vice-captain Marcus Trescothick has won the the world’s richest sports book prize.

The 32-year-old's autobiography ‘Coming Back To Me’ - a brutally honest account of his struggle with mental illness - was named the William Hill Sports Book of the Year.

His troubles first came to light in India in February 2006 when he collapsed in tears in the team dressing room and subsequently returned home early.

The left-hander has attempted to make a couple of comebacks to the national fold since, and while they proved too much, Trescothick enjoyed a prolific season for Somerset this summer, amassing 1,258 runs in 16 games.

Marcus Trescothick was thrilled to be awarded the 2008 William Hill Sports Book of the Year

Trescothick, who has scored almost 6,000 Test runs since his debut in 2000, said his book was a vehicle for bringing everything out in the open and even helped his form for Somerset.

“It was definitely a very cathartic process writing this book,” he said. “It’s something that was in my mind for a couple of years to write about what’s gone on.

“To write about it and get it all out in the open was great and to read it back was quite an amazing experience. It definitely helped me and this summer was really good. I played really well and I’m sure doing this book enabled that.

“There were a lot of things left uncovered for me throughout the two years of trying to deal with the illness.

“A lot of them were untold and there were lots of rumours so this was my opportunity to tell exactly the story that me and my wife went through.

“It was a great experience and after it was all done my cricket seemed to go really well.”

He added: “This award is a reward for the hard work we’ve put in. It’s a really special honour for me.”