Trescothick Defends England’s Preparation Ahead of The Ashes
Marcus Trescothick has defended England’s limited red-ball preparation for The Ashes, while Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey dismissed Stuart Broad’s claim that the current Australian side is the “worst team since 2010.”
England’s only warm-up match before the Ashes will be a three-day game against the England Lions, starting November 13, ahead of the series opener at Optus Stadium in Perth starting November 21. This contrasts sharply with England’s preparation during their victorious 2010/11 tour, where they faced state teams and Australia A prior to the first Test in Brisbane.
During that series, England achieved significant success, winning the second, fourth, and fifth Tests decisively to clinch a 3-1 series victory, with Australia’s only win occurring in the third Test.
While in New Zealand for the second ODI against the Black Caps, Trescothick remarked, “It’s not like the players have been without cricket for three months. The county season just wrapped up a month ago, and they’re preparing here in New Zealand. We’ve adapted well to different conditions in recent years.”
Trescothick emphasized, “Having five preparatory games can affect players later in the series. If the trip extends too long, it complicates things with the amount of cricket these players face today. The goal is to prepare correctly and keep the training focused and intense.”
Former cricketer Nasser Hussain noted on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast that England’s ODIs against New Zealand are being used as their warm-ups for The Ashes, raising concerns about how Jofra Archer and Mark Wood will accumulate sufficient overs before the series.
Carey Reacts to Broad’s Comments
Despite England not winning a Test in Australia since the 2010/11 tour, they faced a string of defeats in subsequent series, including a 5-0 sweep in 2013/14, followed by 4-0 losses in 2017/18 and 2021/22. However, with questions surrounding the Australian batting lineup and captain Pat Cummins missing at least the first Test due to back issues, Broad’s comments have taken center stage.
Carey responded to Broad’s remarks by stating, “Is that what he said? We’ll wait and see… We have a very experienced squad that has been successful in recent years. Winning the World Test Championship and retaining the Ashes in England speaks volumes. We respect Stuart as a competitor and appreciate the opinions of former players.”
