LONDON: Australia may have been spared their Ashes torment at the hands of Chris Tremlett if only Shane Warne had avoided telling him a few home truths, the giant paceman has revealed.
The 6ft 7in fast bowler was a revelation in Australia where, after missing the first two Tests, he took five for 87 in Perth and then four for 26 in Melbourne before featuring in the climatic Sydney Test where England clinched a 3-1 Ashes series triumph.
Even more impressive than his raw figures, was the way in which Tremlett maintained an accurate line with sharp bounce qualities also evident when he took four for 40 as England shot out Sri Lanka for just 82 in an innings and 14-run first Test win in Cardiff on Monday.
Tremlett, whose physique would do justice to an international rugby union lock forward, has arrived at Lord's, where the second Test of a three-match series against Sri Lanka starts on Friday.
He is a key man in England's attack, especially given injured Ashes spearhead James Anderson has been ruled out.
Yet only a couple of seasons ago conventional wisdom had it that Tremlett was too nice a guy to be a fast bowler
Tremlett began his career at Hampshire where his father, Tim, had been a reliable medium-pace bowler before overseeing his son's promising career as the county's cricket director.
But the arrival of Australia leg-spin great Warne as Hampshire captain led to Tremlett being told to shape up, although it still took a move to London-based Surrey for the now 29-year-old paceman to book his Ashes spot, having made his Test debut when still with his native county four years ago.
"I guess I've always been a believer in letting the ball do the talking," Tremlett told reporters at Lord's on Wednesday.
"I perhaps held back a bit at Hampshire. I did try to be aggressive but I guess it was forced a bit, to be honest. I tried to be someone I wasn't...it was difficult to be nasty."
Warne was left frustrated, not so much by a lack of 'verbals', but by the undeniably talented Tremlett's inability to always impose himself on opponents.
"I won't disagree with Warney," Tremlett said. "I was a bit timid at times - but the older I've got, with more confidence and age, being more aggressive comes more naturally to me.
"I don't think about it too much - it just happens."
If England recall Steven Finn, almost as tall as Tremlett himself, and, as seems likely retain Stuart Broad, well over 6ft himself, it will give the hosts one of the tallest of any all-time fast bowling trios.
Sri Lanka looked decidedly uncomfortable against the rising delivery on the final day in Cardiff - something not lost on Tremlett.
"The short ball is a great weapon - and playing against this team, they are not used to it at times.
"It could be a plan we'll go with, but we'll assess that on the day. It's something to think of."
Whatever the plan, a newly self-confident Tremlett is ready for the task.
"The England management know what they're going to get - whereas maybe a couple of years ago, when I was bit more inconsistent, they didn't know which Chris Tremlett was going to turn up on the day."
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The 6ft 7in fast bowler was a revelation in Australia where, after missing the first two Tests, he took five for 87 in Perth and then four for 26 in Melbourne before featuring in the climatic Sydney Test where England clinched a 3-1 Ashes series triumph.
Even more impressive than his raw figures, was the way in which Tremlett maintained an accurate line with sharp bounce qualities also evident when he took four for 40 as England shot out Sri Lanka for just 82 in an innings and 14-run first Test win in Cardiff on Monday.
Tremlett, whose physique would do justice to an international rugby union lock forward, has arrived at Lord's, where the second Test of a three-match series against Sri Lanka starts on Friday.
He is a key man in England's attack, especially given injured Ashes spearhead James Anderson has been ruled out.
Yet only a couple of seasons ago conventional wisdom had it that Tremlett was too nice a guy to be a fast bowler
Tremlett began his career at Hampshire where his father, Tim, had been a reliable medium-pace bowler before overseeing his son's promising career as the county's cricket director.
But the arrival of Australia leg-spin great Warne as Hampshire captain led to Tremlett being told to shape up, although it still took a move to London-based Surrey for the now 29-year-old paceman to book his Ashes spot, having made his Test debut when still with his native county four years ago.
"I guess I've always been a believer in letting the ball do the talking," Tremlett told reporters at Lord's on Wednesday.
"I perhaps held back a bit at Hampshire. I did try to be aggressive but I guess it was forced a bit, to be honest. I tried to be someone I wasn't...it was difficult to be nasty."
Warne was left frustrated, not so much by a lack of 'verbals', but by the undeniably talented Tremlett's inability to always impose himself on opponents.
"I won't disagree with Warney," Tremlett said. "I was a bit timid at times - but the older I've got, with more confidence and age, being more aggressive comes more naturally to me.
"I don't think about it too much - it just happens."
If England recall Steven Finn, almost as tall as Tremlett himself, and, as seems likely retain Stuart Broad, well over 6ft himself, it will give the hosts one of the tallest of any all-time fast bowling trios.
Sri Lanka looked decidedly uncomfortable against the rising delivery on the final day in Cardiff - something not lost on Tremlett.
"The short ball is a great weapon - and playing against this team, they are not used to it at times.
"It could be a plan we'll go with, but we'll assess that on the day. It's something to think of."
Whatever the plan, a newly self-confident Tremlett is ready for the task.
"The England management know what they're going to get - whereas maybe a couple of years ago, when I was bit more inconsistent, they didn't know which Chris Tremlett was going to turn up on the day."
toi
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