The Ashes: England players could refuse to tour Australia

The Ashes: Will Ashes get postponed? England players could refuse to tour Australia amid stringent COVID protocols; Report

James Kuanal

Sunday, Aug 1, 2021 12:53 pm

The Ashes: Will Ashes get postponed? England players could refuse to tour Australia amid stringent COVID protocols What comes as a piece of bad news for cricket fans worldwide, the Ashes- which is scheduled to take place in December & January- could get postponed. There is a mounting fear over the upcoming series as ECB […]

The Ashes: Will Ashes get postponed? England players could refuse to tour Australia amid stringent COVID protocols What comes as a piece of bad news for cricket fans worldwide, the Ashes- which is scheduled to take place in December & January- could get postponed. There is a mounting fear over the upcoming series as ECB released a joint statement that could lead Australia in pressure, said a report published in leading UK daily ‘Dailymail’.

ECB statement

All parties are collaborating and will continue to work together to understand protocols around bubble environments, family provision and quarantine rules that will be in place for the tour during the current COVID-19 pandemic

With player and management’s welfare paramount, the ECB will discuss planning and operational requirements with Cricket Australia in the coming weeks and how they seek to implement their policies in partnership with state and federal governments.

All stakeholders are committed to putting player and staff welfare as the main priority and finding the right solutions that enable the England team to compete with the best players and at the highest possible standard that the Ashes series deserves.

Also Read: Ashes 2021 Schedule: Australia vs England starting from December 8, Perth to host finale instead of Sydney

The Ashes: Will Ashes get postponed? England players could refuse to tour Australia amid stringent COVID protocols

Meanwhile, Team director Ashley Giles has already said that there will be no pressure on players to spend prolonged periods in bio-bubbles that have affected them since the COVID pandemic.

Furthermore, Giles and head coach Chris Silverwood are not prepared to take a weak team to Australia even if one or two players wish to withdraw from The Ashes, reported DailyMail.

ECB will reportedly take urgent calls with Cricket Australia to understand ‘COVID protocols, family provision and relaxation in quarantine rules’ that will begin after the T20 World Cup.

The families are currently not allowed to accompany in four-month long tour.

England player Rory Burns said ‘Spending four months away from my wife and child wouldn’t be top of my wish-list.’

‘I think I’d have to look at all the information I’d got and then make the call,’ he added.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan had earlier said that he would back the players if they decide to pull out.

‘If Australia continue to lock the borders and make it very, very difficult there will come a stage where a sports team decides not to come,’ Vaughan told the Dailymail, adding, ‘4 months away from your family is totally unacceptable.’

Meanwhile, Australia on Saturday reported 33,909 cases of COVID-19, including 923 fatalities. The country’s biggest city Sydney posted record one-day rise in cases. Authorities sought military help to enforce the lockdown of 6 million people poised to enter its sixth week.

The Ashes Schedule

1^st Test- Gabba, Brisbane- December 8-12

2^nd Test (D/N)- Adelaide Oval, Adelaide December 16-20

3^rd Test- MCG, Melbourne December 26-30

4^th test- SCG, Sydney January 5-9

5^th Test- Optus Stadium, Perth January 14-18

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