DIMITRI MASCARENHAS will play his first one-day game of the season when struggling Hampshire visit Shropshire in the C & G Trophy tomorrow.
Skipper Shane Warne brings the all-rounder back into the side as one of two changes to the side well beaten by Gloucestershire in yesterday's totesport League game at the Rose Bowl.
Mascarenhas replaces seamer Chris Tremlett, who is rested ahead of the championship match against Middlesex which starts at the Rose Bowl on Friday, and pace bowler Billy Taylor comes in for Alan Mullally.
Hampshire's much-celebrated top order, including Kevin Pietersen, Simon Katich, John Crawley and Sean Ervine, failed again yesterday as the county slumped to their third successive one-day league loss of 2005.
Warne fumed: "It's not a train smash at the moment but it's getting to borderline - patience is running out.
"A lot of the guys in the side have had a few chances now and it's time for them to stand up.
"You can't just keep making no runs and for there not to be any consequences."
As for tomorrow's first round tie against the Minor County, Warne confessed: "I'm not even sure where Shropshire is and I haven't done any homework on them- I left homework at school!
"But it's always nice to play these games. Shropshire have got nothing to lose so it's always dangerous.
"They'll come out and play all their shots on their home ground, which will probably be tiny and not what we're used to, but we're looking forward to it.
"It's certainly a good chance for our batters to have some time in the middle and score some runs."
Warne is delighted to have Mascarenhas back now that the all-rounder has recovered from his shoulder injury.
He added: "He's one of the best one day cricketers in the country and will give us more depth in the batting and hopefully he'll be able to bowl at full pace with the ball pretty soon as well.
"It will be a good workout for him tomorrow."
The winners of the 50-overs a side match at Whitchurch CC will take on Glamorgan or Suffolk in a fortnight's time.
Hampshire will be playing Shrosphire for only the second time.
In June 1988, Chris Smith scored 117 as Hampshire won a first round tie in the same competition - then sponsored by NatWest - by 86 runs at Telford.
But Hampshire manager Paul Terry, who made 83 in that match, is the only player from that side who will be at Whitchurch tomorrow.
Hampshire: Kenway, Katich, Ervine, Pietersen, Crawley, Pothas, Mascarenhas, Warne, Udal, Logan, Taylor.
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