Vaughan calls out huge England ‘risk’ as fellow great says Ashes move ‘borders on arrogance’

The contrast in the preparation between Australia and England leading into the first Test in Perth next Friday is a significant concern according to Ashes great Michael Vaughan.

The former England captain, who scored three centuries in Australia in the 2002-03 series and then led his nation to a famous win in 2005, is worried his nation is taking a significant risk with a leaner lead-in than their rivals.

While all but one member of the Australian squad are in action in Sheffield Shield matches this week, England will have its sole hitout against a Lions team at Lilac Hill this weekend.

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That, Vaughan said, is a worry, pointing to the fact that top order batters including Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope have not played enough red call cricket leading into the Ashes.

“I don’t have a great deal of interest in it, to be honest, because I’ve seen those games before (and) I’ve been in teams and squads where you’re playing amongst yourselves and the intensity, they might say it’s there, but it is never there,” Vaughan told Fox Cricket’s podcast The Follow On.

“England are running the risk of arriving in Perth for that first game, bearing in mind that Pat Cummins isn’t there, (but) it’s a huge risk, a risky tactic that they’ve gone for.

“Zak Crawley has not played cricket since August the 23rd (and) that was a 100 ball game. Mark Wood hasn’t played cricket for a long while because of his injury. Ben Duckett has just arrived from his wedding. He played a few innings in New Zealand. Ollie Pope has not played any cricket for a number of months. Joffra Archer has not played any cricket.

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“They’re running the risk that some of their players potentially could have done with a bit more of an out. And those players that play all the formats, I can completely understand, because you’re not always guaranteed to get the quality of opposition (in tour games). But I think they’re running a risk.”

The Fox Cricket expert analyst was in Perth last year when India stunned Australia in the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and believes the hosts have learned from that.

Australian coach Andrew McDonald and others have noted that while they believed they had the preparation spot on, they were subjected to criticism before bouncing back in Adelaide.

The majority of the Aussie squad aside from their sidelined skipper Cummins have been hardened through either Sheffield Shield outings or white ball matches against India leading into this Ashes series.

“It’s just whether when the pressure gets really hot, and it will in those first few days in Perth, it’s going to be crucial,” Vaughan said.

“You’ve got an Australian side that looked to me about 12 months ago when they played India in Perth, they weren’t quite (ready). They were a little bit undercut going into that first Test and they got beat.

“Andrew McDonald and his staff, it looks to me from the outside, that they’re saying, ‘Now that’s not going to happen (again)’. I know Pat Cummins isn’t going to play, but all the players are playing state cricket. Every single Australian player will be game ready by November the 21st.”

England, in contrast, had a white ball series in New Zealand prior to arriving in Australia, but not every member of their Ashes squad played against the Kiwis.

Instead they have been preparing at Lilac Hill ahead of the intra-squad match against the Lions this weekend, with Vaughan concerned the sole hitout might not be enough.

“Could Zak Crawley have arrived early and played a couple of grade games just to get used to Australian conditions? Could Ollie Pope have done the same?” Vaughan said.

“Just a three day game amongst your pals? Really?You pals who you play against week in, week out, on a pitch that’s not going to bounce? Is that a good enough preparation?

“We’ll find out. As I said, they’re running the risk. And what I do enjoy in management and leadership teams (is that they say) this is the way we go about our business. But ultimately, by doing it that way, they run the risk of a huge amount of criticism if it doesn’t go right, and that’s what the England side have done.”

Vaughan is not alone among former English champions expressing concern with the first Test just ten days away.

Ian Botham, who is in Melbourne at a function promoting the 150th Anniversary Test between England and Australia to be held at the MCG in 2027, is also worried by this.

A starring member of English teams which won in Australia in 1978/79 and 1986/87, Botham is perplexed by the preparation chosen by his nation.

“We’re going to wander in and have a little game with the ‘A’ team,” he said on the Old Boys, New Balls podcast recently.

“Not one (state match), which borders on arrogance. You’ve got to give yourself the chance. They are saying we play too much cricket. I don’t think (they) play enough.

“The conditions are different when you play cricket in Australia - the sun, the heat, the bounce, the crowd, the Aussie players - you’ve got to get used to all of that.”

While Vaughan is somewhat apprehensive about the preparation, he did point to the fact that this England team has identified what it believes works and deserves credit for that.

“England have been in New Zealand for a white horse series and not done great,” he said.

“I’ve no problem with them having a few days after - they played a bit of golf - and they’re going to play a three day game amongst themselves that we all know is never as intense as a proper first class fixture on a pitch that’s not going to bounce a great deal.

“What I admire about them is that they’re doing it their way. They’re doing it the way that they believe works for them. They’ll be judged at the end of the series (as to) whether it’s worked or not.

“If it works, great, they’ll get a huge amount of credit. And if it goes the other way and it doesn’t work, and we’ve seen this movie before in Australia, there’ll be a few people (under pressure).”

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