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'Weather harming England chances'
Marcus Trescothick said a run of washed out games was hampering England's plans for developing their one-day side.
Marcus Trescothick said a run of washed out games was hampering England's plans for developing their one-day side.
Thursday's abandoned triangular series opener at Old Trafford was the sixth total washout England had suffered in their last 10 one-day internationals.
England, whose coach Duncan Fletcher is constaly bemoaning his team's lack of one-day experience compared with teams such as India, are looking to blood new players ahead of the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies.
For example, Thursday was due to be the day when wicket-keeper Geraint Jones made his limited overs international debut.
England, with all-rounder Andrew Flintoff ruled out of the triangular event because of an ankle injury, also want to use the event to give them a clearer idea of their best one-day team ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy, the 'mini World Cup', which they host in September.
But they can only do that if the weather relents.
Opening batsman Trescothick, speaking ahead of England's second triangular match against the West Indies at Trent Bridge on Sunday, said: "This weather is tough, particularly for the guys who are just playing one-day cricket."
Trescothick, with 80 caps currently England's second most experienced one-day player behind fast bowler Darren Gough, added: "We've obviously played a lot of cricket over the last eight months, and it doesn't seem so disjointed for us.
"But it's difficult for the guys coming into the team just for e one-dayers.
"We're not getting to see the guys we want to see in the sort of situations we need to see them in.
"They are losing the experience, and we've now lost six games out of 10 - and that leaves a big hole with players not getting the chances they should," the Somerset left-hander explained.
Trescothick, fit following a left-ankle injury he sustained during training on Monday, insisted: "I've only played 80-odd games and I'm meant to be experienced. But you have people in the opposition who have played 250 games, and that to me is experience."
Turning to Kent keeper Jones, Trescothick, 28, said: "Geraint has got something about him, and I'm not the first person to say it - he's got an aura about him without a doubt."
Jones made a brisk maiden Test century of exactly 100 in the second match of England's recent 3-0 home whitewash of New Zealand at Headingley batting in the middle order.
But Trescothick said that did not mean Jones would be in the same spot in the shorter game. "When he's playing the first one-day international of his career it's finding the right position for him; whether it's opening, number three or number seven we just don't know at the moment.
"We may have to experiment a little bit and give him a few days at the top and then maybe try him lower down the order.
"Then we'll know a bit more after that."
