Atherton pleads with Fletcher to pick Monty

London, Nov 19 (UNI) Duncan Fletcher may have announced that Marcus Trescothick's withdrawal from the Ashes has lowered Monty Panesar's chances of making it to the final eleven but Former England skipper Michael Atherton has pleaded with the coach to pick the left-armer ahead of Ashley Giles.

''Only one selection headache remains: Giles or Monty Panesar? Please God (sorry, please Duncan) let it be Monty,'' Atherton wrote in his column for the 'Daily Telegraph'.

The former captain felt the English have had a traumatic time since landing in Australia and it will take a mighty effort from the Andrew Flintoff's men to put up a creditable show in the Ashes.

''It has been a traumatic opening week or so: humiliated in Canberra; savaged in the local media, and even before a first-class ball has been bowled there is an England career lying in tatters,'' he said.

Atherton felt despite his stress-related problems, Trescothick should not give up his hopes of playing for England again.

''Not that Marcus Trescothick should pack away his England cap just yet. Alastair Cook will now get the opportunity to make Trescothick's road back doubly difficult, but England's one-day team are in such a mess that Trescothick can always be assured of a run should he recover from his mental illness,'' he elaborated.

Atherton questioned the wisdom of taking Trescothick on the tough tour despite the England medical staff being well aware of past psychological problems.

''The pictorial evidence on Trescothick's return shows the scars all too clearly and on a personal level his breakdown invites deep sympathy. At the same time it does ask serious questions of the judgment of many,'' he said.

''Of the staff at Performance Healthcare who have been helping him; of the selectors; of England's coaching and medical staff; of Andrew Strauss, who only days ago predicted a huge series for his opening partner. All blithely assumed, or at least said so publicly, that Trescothick could be fit for one tour a fortnight after being passed unfit for another,'' he added.

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