Marcus Trescothick defended England’s limited red-ball preparation ahead of the Ashes game, while Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey rubbished Stuart Broad’s assessment that the hosts were the “worst team since 2010”.
England will play a three-day warm-up match against the England Lions from November 13th, ahead of their opening Ashes match at Perth’s Optus Stadium from November 21st.
This is in stark contrast to the last time tourists won in Australia in 2010/11. That time they faced Western Australia, South Australia and Australia A during an intense build-up ahead of the drawn first Test in Brisbane.
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England assistant cricket coach Marcus Trescothick has praised Harry Brook after the white-ball captain’s “special” century in the first ODI defeat to New Zealand.
England also won the second, fourth and fifth Tests of the series by an innings margin, securing a 3-1 victory, with Australia’s only success coming in the third match at the WACA.
Speaking from New Zealand ahead of England’s second ODI against the Black Caps in Hamilton on Wednesday (starting at 1am BST), assistant coach Trescothick said: “It’s not like they (the players) have gone three months without playing any cricket.
“It’s only been a month since the last county championship. They’ve been preparing here (in New Zealand) and everyone’s working on it. And we’ve adapted well to different conditions in different places in recent years.”
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Trescothick gives insight into All Blacks mental skills coach Gilbert Enoka’s influence on the team
“It doesn’t necessarily have to be five games because it affects the second half of the series.
“If you were to take that time and travel and be there for months on end, it would be really difficult given the amount of cricket they are playing these days.
“Preparing properly and getting the players together has worked well in the past. Keeping it short, sharp and intense and working that way.”
Nasser Hussain said on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast: “England are using the New Zealand ODI as a warm-up (for the Ashes), but where can Jofra Archer and Mark Wood in particular get their legs up?”
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Australia head coach Andrew McDonald is “hopeful” that captain Pat Cummins will feature in the second Ashes Test after it was announced the fast bowler would miss the series opener against England with a back problem.
Carry On Broad Jive: “Wait a minute…”
England have not won a Test in Australia since their successful 2010/11 season, with a convincing 5-0 win in the 2013/14 series but back-to-back 4-0 defeats in 2017/18 and 2021/22.
But Australia go into this winter’s showdown with question marks over the exact makeup of their top three batting lineup, while captain Pat Cummins will miss at least the first Test with a hip injury.
Broad recently said this team was the weakest team in all of Australia since the team England beat 15 years ago, but home wicketkeeper Carey told reporters on Tuesday: “That’s what he said, right? We’ll see…”
“We have a really experienced cricket team that has had a lot of success over the last three, four and five years.
Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey cited the team’s recent success following Stuart Broad’s comment that they were the “worst team since 2010”.
“Winning the World Test Championship, retaining the Ashes (England) and getting to the final of the World Test Championship again was pretty good recognition.
“We have all played against Stuart in the past and we know what a great competitor he is and how much he has contributed to Test cricket.
“When you see the players appear in the media, they are completely open with their opinions and the player group does not have any comments on anyone.”
Carey hopes England fans will remember his role in Jonny Bairstow’s controversial stumble in the 2023 Lord Ashes Test, a moment Broad told Carey at the time was “all he will remember”.
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Jonny Bairstow caused controversy when he stumbled in his carry on the final day of the 2023 Lord Ashes Test and the ball was deemed not to have been dead when the England batsman came out of the crease.
The Australian said: “It’s going to be exciting… Barmy army, I think I’ve seen some chants coming in already, which is great.”
“It’s part of the game. We love it and it’s a sport. We completely understand that there are heroes and villains. That’s what Ashes cricket is all about.”
“Things like that go down in the history of the game and will be talked about forever, but as players and as a playing group you want to be there for those big moments.
“I experienced that in England, so I hope the Australian crowd will block out some of that noise. And we have more fans here in Australia than in England.”
Australian Ashes Series 2025/26
always UK and Ireland
First Test: Friday 21st November – Tuesday 25th November (2.30am) – Optus Stadium, Perth Second Test (day/night): Thursday 4th December – Monday 8th December (4.30am) – The Gabba, Brisbane Third Test: Wednesday 17th December – Sunday 21st December (12am) – Adelaide Oval Fourth Test: Thursday 25th December – Monday 29th December (11.30pm) – Melbourne Cricket Ground Fifth Test: Sunday 4th January – Thursday 8th January (11.30pm) – Sydney Cricket Ground
