Stokes defends England criticism from ‘has-beens’

Captain Ben Stokes says England will go “balls to the wall” in their only Ashes warm-up game after “has-beens” questioned their limited preparation in Australia.

England will play a three-day game against an England Lions team starting on Thursday at a park ground in Perth. The first Test at Optus Stadium begins on 21 November.

The build-up to this tour is similar to England’s preparations for their five previous overseas tours under Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum. England have won the first Test of the series on each occasion.

However, it differs from many of England’s previous Ashes tours, when they played several warm-up games.

“The next three days is balls to the wall for everyone – no easing into it,” Stokes told BBC Sport.

Speaking to the media for the first time since sustaining a shoulder injury in July, Stokes covered a range of subjects, including:

England held a limited training session at Lilac Hill on Wednesday. The batters and spin bowlers were in attendance, but the pace bowlers sat out after an intense workout on Tuesday.

The tourists have not confirmed the teams for the warm-up game. All 16 members of the senior Ashes party will be involved, with the five not in the England XI joining the Lions.

In a packed schedule, England have just finished a white-ball series in New Zealand.

Even if they had arranged a string of first-class matches in Australia, their opposition probably would not have been strong, given the ongoing domestic Sheffield Shield competition.

Criticism of the build-up has come from past players on both sides of the Ashes divide.

“Cricket has changed so much,” said Stokes. “Preparation is nowhere near as simple as it used to be. You could come out on a tour two months before the first game started.

“We’ve been preparing for this tour not over the last three weeks, but putting a lot of thought and process into this for a few years now. I don’t know what else we’re expected to be able to do.

“There are quite a few factors that go into why we can’t prepare how the has-beens maybe prepared in the past. It’s all changed. We’re very comfortable with how we prepare because we leave no stone unturned.”

Stokes, 34, has not played since being ruled out of the final Test against India in the summer.

He was superb in that series before sustaining the injury, which came after he put himself through a heavy bowling workload. Injuries have prevented Stokes from completing any of England’s past four Test series.

However, he has been bowling at full pace in training, which he said he has been doing for two months.

With Australia captain Pat Cummins missing the first Test because of a back injury, the eventual destination of the urn could be influenced by which skipper spends most time on the field, and Stokes said he is in a “good place” to get through the series.

“That’s all I’ve been doing for last three months; making sure I’m fit and strong,” he said.

On Tuesday, assistant coach Marcus Trescothick backed Pope at number three, which Stokes echoed by saying the Surrey man is “in possession”.

Stokes also explained the decision to replace Pope as vice-captain with England white-ball skipper Harry Brook.

“We have been very consistent with team selection and we know exactly what we want from the team we pick. Popey has done a great job for us at number three,” said Stokes.

“He did an amazing job as vice-captain. He was incredibly valuable to me. We did a lot of work together behind the scenes; he helped me through particular periods in games and our relationship grew. He got better and better, particularly when I was bowling.

“But it’s a natural progression in terms of Brooky’s leadership of England. He’s been one of those senior guys I go to, so it was the right time for Brooky to come in and be vice-captain.”

After a thrilling and controversial Ashes in 2023 was drawn 2-2, the upcoming contest is one of the most anticipated series in recent memory.

As part of the hype, the West Australian newspaper carried pictures of Stokes arriving at Perth on its front page and described him as “Captain Cocky Crybaby”.

Stokes said the coverage will not affect his team and he was “gutted” when the newspaper switched focus to team-mate Joe Root.

“It’s unbelievable journalism to get that much information on the front page out of a bloke pushing a suitcase through an airport, so fair play,” said Stokes.

“I was a bit gutted when they turned their attention over to Rooty, because I was waking up waiting to see what the next headline of me was.

“It’s expected. That’s part of being in Australia. It’s another one of those things that we’ll have to deal with, especially some of the guys that are out here for the first time.