Hobart: With a second consecutive day of the tour match against Australia A in Hobart washed out and three of England's biggest stars yet to set foot on the park, there is rising anxiety in the England camp about the tourists' Ashes preparation.
Though England landed in Australia a fortnight ago, many of their star players are yet to bat or ball. Kevin Pietersen, who joined late, is yet to face a ball other than in the nets, while Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann are yet to bowl a ball in competition, despite the squad landing in Australia a fortnight ago.
All three were rested from the first warm-up match against a WA XI in Perth, while Jimmy Anderson has stated his preference to ''get some more miles in my legs''.
Only opening batsmen Alastair Cook and Michael Carberry batted on the opening day for an unbroken stand of 318. The rest have had to pass the time in the gym or dressing room.
''It is very frustrating,'' said England batting coach Graham Gooch.
''You want to get the cobwebs out of the guys who've not played, get some time in the middle. The bowlers want to iron out any little flaws in their run-ups and get their rhythm.
''Cricket is a game of rhythm, whether you bat or bowl, and certainly if you're sitting in the dressing room, you get that sort of malaise of just sitting around. Your enthusiasm goes a little bit, so they do need to be out there because time is short now - five playing days before the first Test left, and that's minimal, isn't it?''
The weather gods have also been unkind to Ashes hopeful Alex Doolan, who has been unable to enhance his case for selection while his Tasmanian teammate, George Bailey, has a chance to lock in a Test spot in Brisbane.
Bailey, the leading candidate for the No. 6 batting spot, was not out overnight in the Sheffield Shield game against Queensland at Allan Border Field, while Doolan spent the day in a beanie playing table tennis and watching rain fall at Bellerive Oval.
England has one more tour game before the Ashes: a four-day match against an invitational XI starting on Wednesday at the SCG.
The local side has been beefed up, with batsmen including Phillip Hughes, Usman Khawaja, Aaron Finch and Adam Voges, at the behest of the England and Wales Cricket Board, which had complained about the standard of opposition.
But the English cannot expect to face any bowlers in the frame for Test selection.
In fact, the biggest blow England has copped on tour so far was landed by Tymal Mills, the big left-arm quick from Essex who was flown in as a net bowler to prepare the batsmen for Mitchell Johnson, and Cook has a large, purple bruise on his arm to show for it.
Gooch admitted the rain has also undermined England's selection deliberations, with the team for the first Test yet to be decided, although the big winner of the tour so far is Carberry.
The 33-year-old's unbeaten 153 has put him in the box seat to partner Cook in Brisbane, which would likely see Joe Root bat at six.
''An opportunity arose in that first game when Alastair had the stiff back, a condition he'd suffered with in the past, and Michael got a game and took his chance there,'' Gooch said.
''We wanted to see a little bit more of him this game and he's done his chances no harm with 150, and Joe batted in the middle order when he started.
''But getting the batting line-up exactly right comes from watching a few matches. I don't think the side is completely settled at the moment.''
