Trescothick signs 3-year contract with Somerset

Taunton, England:

Former England opener Marcus Trescothick signed a new three-year contract with county side Somerset on Tuesday and hopes to keep playing until he is 40.

Trescothick has continued to shine despite the stress-related illness that hastened the end of his international career and forced him to withdraw from the Twenty20 Champions League in October.

Somerset has supported its 34-year-old captain, who has played for the southwest team since he was 17, throughout his difficulties.

"I am absolutely delighted to have signed a new contract with Somerset," Trescothick said. "My aim is to play for as long as I can, at least until I am 40, and beyond if I am fit enough."

Trescothick hit 5,825 runs in 76 tests and helped England win the 2005 Ashes before retiring internationally last year because of the illness that kept him out of his country's tours since 2006.

He bounced back to hit 1,817 runs in this year's County Championship at an average of 75.70, helping Somerset finish third. He scored 2,934 runs in all competitions and was the Professional Cricketers' Association player of the year.

His illness resurfaced when he left the Champions League in India after scoring just 17 runs in two tournament innings, but Somerset's faith remained undimmed and he was immediately reconfirmed as Justin Langer's successor as captain.

"There is a lot more movement of players between counties than there was in my playing days, so it is a great sign that our best player is pledging his future to the club where he started," Somerset director of cricket Brian Rose said on Tuesday.