Former Australian fast bowler Peter Siddle believes England’s Test side wouldn’t get much out of playing the Prime Minister’s XI match in Canberra courtesy of Manuka Oval’s “totally different” conditions to the Gabba.

On Monday evening, England confirmed that none of the players who featured in the Ashes series opener at Perth Stadium would travel to the Australian capital for the two-day pink-ball contest, instead heading straight to Brisbane to prepare for the second Test.

The decision drew heavy criticism from former England captain Michael Vaughan, with the likes of Michael Atherton and Alastair Cook also expressing their surprise. England has never won a pink-ball Test on Australian soil, while the nation hasn’t triumphed in an Ashes contest at the Gabba since 1986.

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However, speaking to Fox Sports News on Tuesday morning, Siddle argued the tourists wouldn’t benefit from playing the day-night tour match, which gets underway on Saturday, because the Manuka Oval deck doesn’t bounce as much as the Gabba.“It’s a hard one, I know what it’s like being on tour for a long time,” said Siddle, who will lead the Prime Minister’s XI bowling attack.

“I know it’s only the first Test just gone, but they just came from New Zealand, most of that squad so they’ve played a lot of cricket.

“The first Test didn’t go to plan for them, but it’s such different conditions, Manuka Oval compared to the Gabba, two totally different surfaces.

“There’s not going to be a lot they can get out of it, other than maybe seeing a pink ball under lights, that’s probably the only benefit they’re going to get.

“They’re going about it their own way, each to their own.”

Former Australian batter Stuart Law agreed with Siddle, telling Sportsworld on BBC World Service: “I wouldn’t want to bat in Canberra and then go to Brisbane.

“You’ve got a ball bouncing at knee-high and then you’ve got a ball bouncing at chest-high. It doesn’t really do you too much good.”

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Following the dramatic eight-wicket loss in Perth, England captain Ben Stokes defended the team’s decision not to play the Prime Minister’s XI contest. The tourists also came under scrutiny for preparing for the series opener by playing an intra-squad match at suburban venue Lilac Hill.

“We prepare incredibly well,” Stokes declared.

“We work incredibly hard every single day that we get the opportunity to work on our game, and that’s what we’ll keep on doing because we believe and we trust in our process.

“We know that we put every little bit or ounce of ourselves into our training, and we know and believe that this is the best way for this team to operate.”

Elsewhere, England coach Brendon McCullum has emphasised the importance of camaraderie and keeping morale high during a long tour.

Siddle also acknowledged that England’s Bazball approach with the willow was fatiguing the team’s fast bowlers, who get less time between innings to recover. The tourists only batted for 67.3 overs during the first Test, with the pace of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood dropping considerably in the second innings following a rapid four-hour turnaround.

“That’s huge. The fast bowling coaches used to always to talk about it,” Siddle continued.

“The more time you get to spend with the feet up resting, the better you are. If you can get a couple of nights’ sleep before you go again, (it’s) a huge bonus.

“Their fast approach can be exciting and entertaining, but it’s definitely not helping their fast bowlers.

“When you’re wanting them to bowl at high intensity and fast, they need that rest. Obviously in Perth it showed that (with) little rest and that quick turnaround, it can be hard to crank it up like they did in the first innings.”

The second Ashes Test between Australia and England gets underway at the Gabba on December 4.