England's cricket stars have raised eyebrows with their unconventional approach to Ashes preparations, choosing fairways over practice nets just days before the blockbuster Test series begins in Perth.
Golf Takes Priority Over Nets
Captain Ben Stokes and star batter Joe Root were spotted playing a round at Joondalup Resort Golf Course on Monday, while the Australian team conducted their final training session at Optus Stadium. This comes after England completed just one formal warm-up match - a three-day game against their England Lions side at Lilac Hill that concluded on Saturday.
The tourists' relaxed approach has drawn criticism from several former England players, including legendary all-rounder Ian Botham, who described the limited preparation as bordering on arrogance. Botham specifically questioned the decision not to play any matches against Australian State sides.
Mixed Performances in Warm-Up
England's sole practice match revealed some concerning signs for the visitors. Root managed scores of just one and 31 with the bat and proved expensive with the ball, conceding 117 runs from his 14 overs of off-spin in the first innings.
While Stokes captured six first-innings wickets, each dismissal came from batters offering simple leg-side catches rather than demonstrating genuine bowling dominance. The match itself was played at what observers described as a breezy intensity, featuring several strange dismissals as players appeared to throw their wickets away.
Golf Course Regulars
Monday's golf outing wasn't an isolated incident for the English squad. The team has become familiar faces at Perth's premium golf courses throughout their stay. Stokes played at Araluen Estate Golf Course on November 8, posing for photos with number three batter Ollie Pope and Lions player Jordan Cox.
The Andrew Flintoff-coached Lions squad visited the same course on November 4, with Pope and fast bowler Matthew Potts returning the following day for another round. Araluen Estate has regularly shared social media posts showcasing the tourists' presence at their facility.
Former Australian captain Kim Hughes expressed serious doubts about whether England's preparations would prove sufficient for the challenging Ashes campaign. Hughes told The West Australian that while players deserved downtime on a long tour, the approach could backfire dramatically.
If you get rock and rolled, it looks pretty ordinary if you're on the golf course, Hughes warned. Winning hides all sins, so good luck. I would've thought you'd play at least two games, and preferably against shield sides, so it's a bit more competitive.
Hughes, drawing from his own playing experience, emphasized that proper match practice was essential for adapting to Australian conditions. When I was playing - mind you, it was a fair while ago - you would have a month. You needed it, certainly from a batting point of view because it was different bounce and the pace was different.
The golf course appearances continue a pattern that has drawn criticism in the past. Earlier this year, former England star Kevin Pietersen slammed the team's golf habits after a 3-0 one-day international series whitewash in India.
You get paid to score runs. That is why you get paid. You get paid to win games of cricket. You don't get paid to play golf. This is not a golf tour, this is a cricket tour, Pietersen said at the time.
Stokes has previously defended his team's approach, describing claims that England's cricketers spend too much time playing golf as absolute rubbish. In May, the captain insisted that international sportspeople couldn't maintain performance levels without strong work ethics.
You're not going to be able to be an international sportsman for a long period of time if you don't have a work ethic and everyone that walks into the Test team, the white-ball team, their work ethic is incredible, Stokes stated.
All eyes will be on Optus Stadium this Friday to see whether England's relaxed preparation strategy pays dividends or proves costly in the first Ashes Test against Australia.
