England’s interim manager Marcus Trescothick has expressed concern over England’s domestic List A structure, suggesting it is "not helping" the development of the country’s next generation of white-ball cricketers.
An under-experienced England squad recently suffered its third straight ODI series defeat since the 2023 World Cup, losing 13 of their last 20 ODIs, including the latest in Barbados. Due to England’s Test schedule, many top players were absent, leaving only Jordan Cox and Rehan Ahmed from the Pakistan tour to represent the team in the Caribbean. Notably, Cox, despite limited experience with just four List A games before selection, was slotted in at No. 3, while Dan Mousley, 23, had not played a 50-over game in three years before his debut.
When questioned about the impact of limited 50-over opportunities on England's young talent, Trescothick admitted that the lack of domestic games is challenging, as it deprives players of the match experience needed to grasp the format deeply.
The One-Day Cup’s overlap with the Hundred means top white-ball players miss out on List A cricket entirely. Though Trescothick refrained from criticising the Hundred, he acknowledged that increasing 50-over opportunities would benefit England’s players, adding that finding a solution lies with the governing authorities.
Phil Salt, who scored 74 in the series’ final ODI, supported the push for more domestic 50-over matches. Salt highlighted that few players could excel immediately in 50-over games without regular play, saying the lack of a continuous 50-over rhythm hinders players’ progress in this format.
The idea of restructuring the English cricket calendar remains uncertain, but Trescothick pointed out the complexity of balancing Test cricket, the domestic T20 competition, and the Hundred in a crowded schedule.
Acknowledging the youthfulness of England's ODI squad, Trescothick noted that giving young players match exposure is critical yet challenging due to limited List A opportunities. He pointed out that T20 has largely taken over white-ball cricket globally, which further limits 50-over experience.
Trescothick also updated on Jofra Archer, who played through the series without injury concerns, bringing his participation to seven of England’s last eight ODIs. Though Archer claimed just one wicket, Trescothick was optimistic, viewing the series as a step toward building him up for potential Test duty against India this summer and an Ashes tour next year.