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Lancashire were today urged to take one-day matches away from Old Trafford as groundsman Peter Marron explained the problems he is having with the square.

A bizarre-looking pitch was the main talking point in last night's rain-ruined CGU National League clash with Warwickshire.

The game lasted less than 11 overs, but in that time England opener Nick Knight was struck on the thumb by a nasty rising delivery from Peter Martin as Warwickshire limped to 46-4.

And with Allan Donald in the Bears line-up, the Lancashire batsmen including Mike Atherton must have had mixed feelings when the game was called off.

Warwickshire skipper Neil Smith said: ``I do have some sympathy with Lancashire because of the problems they have with the square, but if this is the best pitch they can come up with, they should perhaps look at playing at other venues.''

There were several large cracks, but other patches of the pitch were bright green - it looked like a seamer's paradise, and certainly far from the ideal one-day wicket.

But as Marron explained, he simply had no choice.

``We are limited on which pitches we can use for televised matches like last night's,'' he said - because of the camera demands of television, including the Stump Cam. ``We've got to save one of them for the Test Match against New Zealand, and the one-day international pitch was used during the World Cup.

``Two more of the ones we can use for TV matches are unavailable until 2000 because they have been relaid, and the last one is tired after being used for a few games recently including the floodlit game against Essex, and needs a rest.''

The pitch for last night's game was last used for the Championship game against Northants in May.

But Marron's problems are only going to increase in the coming weeks with three big games coming up against Yorkshire in the NatWest Trophy quarter final, another floodlit National League game and then the Championship.

Meanwhile the washout denied Lancashire the chance to close to within two points of First Division leaders Yorkshire, who lost twice at the weekend. Still, they moved level with second-placed Worcestershire Royals and have plenty of chances to go top with the double header against Yorkshire and a trip to Worcester on September 19 - the last game of the season.

Today they were travelling to Southampton for the Championship game against Hampshire starting tomorrow.