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<\/p>\nMarcus Trescothick hails the impact Andrew Flintoff has had on the England camp<\/p>\n
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England assistant Marcus Trescothick has enjoyed witnessing Andrew Flintoff \u201cgrow back into Freddie\u201d during his Ashes-winning team-mate\u2019s stint with the national team.<\/p>\n
Flintoff had been out of the public eye since a serious car accident while filming for Top Gear last December but earlier this month he was coaxed into joining England\u2019s backroom staff in an unpaid capacity.<\/p>\n
Several players have savoured being at close quarters with such a recognisable figure but Trescothick was already intimately acquainted not just with Freddie the cricketer but Flintoff the person.<\/p>\n
While he has frequently been the butt of Flintoff\u2019s jokes, Trescothick has watched on with admiration at the 45-year-old slowly regaining confidence and \u201csprinkling a bit of gold dust around the team\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe hammers me more than anyone else,\u201d said Trescothick with a smile. \u201cI\u2019m the first target for his banter at the moment but having him around has been superb, it really has. He\u2019s been brilliant.<\/p>\n
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\u201cSeeing him grow back into Freddie\u2026 obviously he\u2019s been away from cricket for a long period of time but this is where it all starts and where it belongs for him. The guys have really taken to him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe couple of times he\u2019s spoken in the changing room it\u2019s been like \u2018wow\u2019. You can see the difference and I\u2019ve seen the progression of him as a character, the way he talks and delivers messages to players has been superb.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo have him sprinkling a bit of gold dust around the team and having the younger players working with that has been invaluable. You can\u2019t put a price on it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Flintoff was initially enlisted for four ODIs against New Zealand, after which the former England captain\u2019s spell was expected to end, but he has hung around for the ongoing Metro Bank series versus Ireland.<\/p>\n
England have selected a more inexperienced band of players for this series and there were four debutants in the second ODI on Saturday \u2013 effectively the opener after last week\u2019s Headingley washout.<\/p>\n
Tom Hartley had the distinction of being given his maiden cap ahead of England\u2019s 48-run win by Flintoff, who told his fellow Lancastrian in the team huddle: \u201cThis will change your life forever.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou become more comfortable, don\u2019t you,\u201d said Trescothick, who was an England team-mate of Flintoff\u2019s between 2000 and 2006. \u201cThis is what we know, this is what we\u2019ve grown up with for so many years.<\/p>\n
\nTo have (Flintoff) sprinkling a bit of gold-dust around the team and having the younger players working with that has been invaluable. You can\u2019t put a price on it<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\u201cOnce you come to your comfortable environment, you know what goes on and you understand the place, people have respect for what he has done and enjoy seeing him improving.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s really good from our point of view. If we as players and squads and cricket in general keep doing that for people who have fallen on tougher times then great, we\u2019re doing something right.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trescothick and the rest of the England coaching staff will oversee the final ODI against Ireland at Bristol on Tuesday before embarking to the subcontinent for the World Cup on Wednesday evening.<\/p>\n
England resting the squad that will travel to India for the defence of their title, starting in less than a fortnight, has offered those on the fringes a chance to push their case for more regular spots.<\/p>\n
Teenage leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed continues to make waves in an England shirt, impressing at the weekend with four for 54, ripping the heart out of Ireland\u2019s middle order at Trent Bridge.<\/p>\n
\u201cI like the way he keeps relishing opportunities and keeps doing the business,\u201d Trescothick added. \u201cAs a younger player there\u2019s a lot more scrutiny on him, obviously the style of cricketer he is.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe comes into the Test team and gets five wickets (against Pakistan in Karachi last December), he comes into this format and does well. Hopefully that carries on.<\/p>\n
Recommended<\/h3>\n
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\u201cRehan is entertaining in the changing room, enjoyable in and around it. A little bit cheeky at times which is good.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think you can see that coming through when he bowls. It\u2019s part of his persona.\u201d<\/p>\n
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