England’s preparations for the upcoming Ashes series have come under scrutiny as the team will play just one in-house warm-up match before the first Test in Perth. The three-day fixture against the England Lions — the nation’s development squad — is their only red-ball practice match ahead of the marquee series.
Following Saturday’s third and final one-day international in New Zealand, England’s squad will head to Australia for three weeks of fine-tuning. The solitary warm-up at Lilac Hill begins on 13 November, serving as the final rehearsal before facing Australia in what is considered cricket’s fiercest rivalry.
ECB Confident Despite Concerns
Ed Barney, performance director at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), remains optimistic.
“There is nothing more the lads will want than to raise their game as far as it has ever been,” Barney said. “That three-day fixture will be a quality exposure that will continue to aid England in their preparation.”
The ECB sees the Lions match as an ideal internal test, allowing England’s main squad to face competitive conditions while maintaining control over player workloads and game scenarios.
However, critics question whether such limited red-ball preparation will be enough. Legendary all-rounder Lord Botham recently described England’s lack of matches against Australian state sides as “bordering on arrogance.”
Balancing Formats and Fatigue
England’s coaching staff argue that modern cricket scheduling makes traditional warm-up tours almost impossible. Barney highlighted the packed Future Tours Programme and overlapping commitments in white-ball and franchise competitions.
“A multi-format player leaving the country on 13 October could have less than two weeks off between now and the end of September,” Barney explained. “We must constantly balance red-ball, white-ball, franchise, and domestic cricket commitments.”
He insists the coaching setup and preparation plans have been tailored to meet the individual needs of players, offering varied training methods instead of relying solely on matches.
Mixed Form in New Zealand
England’s ongoing ODI series in New Zealand has served as a partial tune-up, though results have been inconsistent. Captain Harry Brook struck a century in the opening match, while Jofra Archer impressed with 3-23 in his first outing of the winter.
Yet others have struggled. Joe Root, Ben Duckett, and Jamie Smith — returning from a lengthy break — have scored only 43 runs between them across four matches. Their lack of time in the middle has reignited calls for more meaningful warm-up games before the Ashes.
Historical Context: Then vs. Now
England’s approach contrasts sharply with earlier eras. When they won the Ashes in 1986-87, the tour spanned 84 days and featured three warm-up matches against Australian state sides, plus additional fixtures between Tests.
Even during their victorious 2010-11 campaign under Andrew Strauss, England played three competitive first-class matches before the opening Test, winning two. The extended build-up proved crucial as they secured a 3-1 series win.
However, subsequent tours have produced less success. The 2013-14 and 2017-18 series, which both began with truncated warm-up schedules, ended in heavy defeats. During the Covid-impacted 2021-22 tour, England managed only two intra-squad games, severely disrupted by rain, and suffered another 4-0 loss.
Alternative Preparation Models
Despite the criticism, England’s management points to more recent results as evidence their strategy can work. On tours to India and Pakistan last year, the team skipped formal warm-ups in favour of training camps in the UAE — yet won the opening Test in both series.
India followed a similar model during their victorious 2018-19 and 2020-21 tours of Australia, playing limited practice matches against local XIs. Those precedents have emboldened England’s confidence in their chosen path.
The Lions’ Role: Future or Next in Line?
The England Lions, tasked with providing opposition in the sole warm-up, are a blend of emerging talent and near-ready replacements. Players like Rehan Ahmed, Matthew Fisher, Tom Hartley, and Josh Hull have been selected, though only a handful hold Test caps.
“The Lions are not a second team,” Barney clarified. “We are focused on supporting the highest potential — whether that means players ready now or in two to four years.”
He emphasized that the Lions programme provides flexibility, ensuring England can draw from a mix of developing and near-elite players when needed.
Risks and Realities
Nevertheless, the limited experience in the Lions setup raises concerns. If an injury or loss of form strikes the main squad, England may have to fly replacements across the world at short notice.
Critics argue that facing domestic Australian teams would better replicate Test conditions and expose batters to local bowlers, offering more valuable practice. But the ECB insists logistical and scheduling pressures make that impractical.
Looking Ahead to Perth
As England fine-tune their plans, focus will turn to key figures such as Ben Stokes, Joe Root, and the fast-bowling trio of Gus Atkinson, Mark Wood, and Josh Tongue, all working through specialized training programmes.
The Ashes opener at Perth looms as a stern test of England’s readiness. Whether a single intra-squad warm-up will prove sufficient remains to be seen — but as history has shown, the margins between triumph and disaster in Australia can be razor thin.
For now, England’s fate rests on preparation behind closed doors, a condensed schedule, and a belief that quality training can outweigh quantity of matches.
If it succeeds, the ECB’s modernized approach could redefine how Test teams prepare for marquee series in the packed cricketing calendar. If it fails, questions of arrogance may return with renewed force — this time backed by the weight of another Ashes defeat.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members
