Marcus Trescothick knows what it is like to have his thunder stolen. Four times in his brief England career, he had reached an international century, and four times England had lost. His first, against Sri Lanka at Galle, could not avert an innings defeat. His last, against India at Calcutta, could not carry England to a much-deserved victory. No Englishman in the post-Atherton era has learnt more about futility and its pursuit than Trescothick. So what better man to lead the pursuit of the most futile cause of all? For today was the day that English cricket began its quadrennial battle for the hearts and minds of the public. Taking on the might of the football World Cup, especially a World Cup that kicks off half-an-hour before lunch on the second day, was never going to be an easy task. Nasser Hussain was content to settle for the quiet life - the only way England would steal the headlines, he said, would be if they collapsed to 100 all out.

But Trescothick scoffed at such talk. By the time he fell to the final ball before tea, he had plundered 152 runs in two sessions, and ensured that England's cricketers would get at least a sub-heading on the back pages of the tabloids.

The omens had not been good, yet scheduling-wise, Trescothick played an absolute blinder. A hundred and twenty-two runs in the morning session was a fine hors d'oeuvre - the sort of fare that might have persuaded the waverers to stick to the cricket, instead of directing their attentions to Seoul, where France, the world champions, were taking on the minnows of Senegal.

Trescothick refused to be dispirited when, on the stroke of lunch, a certain Papa Bouba Diop sent 60 million people into raptures by scoring for Senegal. Displaying a sensitivity to the viewer, he reined in his attacking instincts for 40 minutes after the break, enough time for the match to be completed. Then, at a time when the sporting aficionados might have been asking themselves, "I wonder what's happening in the Test?", he launched himself at the Sri Lankan bowling, and cavorted to his first Test 150.

Atherton's greatest failing was his tendency to loiter on the burning deck. Trescothick's greatest asset is his desire to pick up a hose and direct it at the fire. Monsieur Bouba Diop may have stolen the headlines, but Trescothick did his damnedest to steal them back.

Andrew Miller is editorial assistant of Wisden.com

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd