{"id":200850,"date":"2025-10-15T02:57:09","date_gmt":"2025-10-15T02:57:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/200850\/"},"modified":"2025-10-15T02:57:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-15T02:57:09","slug":"ian-botham-says-england-have-already-made-major-ashes-mistake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/200850\/","title":{"rendered":"Ian Botham says England have already made major Ashes mistake"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\"CRICKET-AUS-BOTHAM\"
\n\t\tIan Botham was part of two Ashes-winning tours (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n

Ian Botham admits he is \u2018worried\u2019 for England ahead of the Ashes<\/a> and claims their warm-up schedule \u2018borders on arrogance\u2019.<\/p>\n

England will attempt to reclaim the Ashes for the first time since 2018 when they head Down Under to Australia<\/a> at the end of the year.<\/p>\n

Ben Stokes\u2019 side drew the last series at home 2-2<\/a> but England have not won a single Test in Australia since the 2010-11 series, losing 13-0 across 15 demoralising matches.<\/p>\n

It was once common for touring teams to play several warm-up games against state sides but that is no longer the case, partly due to the packed schedule.<\/p>\n

Indeed, England will play just one three-day warm-up game against their own development side, England Lions, prior to the first Ashes Test on November 21.<\/p>\n

England drew 2-2 in a thrilling Test series against India in their home summer<\/a> but the fifth match at The Oval will be their last competitive red-ball before the start of the Ashes.<\/p>\n

The white-ball squad, which includes a number of Test players, are currently in New Zealand to play three T20s and three ODIs before flying to Australia at the start of November.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"England
\n\t\tBen Stokes leads England\u2019s tour of Australia (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019m worried,\u2019 England legend Lord Botham, who was part of two Ashes-winning tours, said on the Old Boys, New Balls podcast<\/a>. \u2018We\u2019re going to wander in and have a little game with the \u2018A\u2019 team.<\/p>\n

\u2018[It will be] \u201cAlright mate, how are you? Good on ya\u201d and we\u2019re going to go and perform? Not one [state match] which borders on arrogance.<\/p>\n

\u2018You\u2019ve got to give yourself the chance. They are saying we play too much cricket\u2026 I don\u2019t think you play enough.<\/p>\n

\u2018The conditions are different when you play cricket in Australia: the sun, the heat, the bounce, the crowd, the Aussie players, you\u2019ve got to get used to all that.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"England
\n\t\tAustralia retained the Ashes in England in 2023 (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n

\u2018You\u2019re not playing against the Australian cricket team, you\u2019re playing against Australia \u2014 24.5 million people.\u2019<\/p>\n

Botham is particularly concerned about the condition of England\u2019s bowling attack, with Stokes, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson and Mark Wood all struggling with injuries.<\/p>\n

\u2018Bowlers don\u2019t get fit in gyms, that\u2019s been proven,\u2019 legendary all-rounder Botham added. \u2018Look at the record with injuries \u2013 Wood, [Jofra] Archer, Ben Stokes, Brydon Carse\u2026 they don\u2019t play enough.<\/p>\n

\u2018You get fit by playing. If it goes horribly wrong, Mark Wood breaks down in the first game, or Jofra Archer does, or Ben can\u2019t bowl, we are suddenly chasing the eight-ball before we\u2019ve started. It\u2019s a worry.\u2019<\/p>\n

\t\t\"England
\n\t\tBotham is concerned for England\u2019s pace attack (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n

While recent history is not on England\u2019s side, Stuart Broad believes his former teammates will be taking on the \u2018worst\u2019 Australian team in over a decade this winter.<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s very, very difficult to win in Australia as an England side, or any side \u2013 it just is,\u2019 Broad told\u00a0the For the Love of Cricket podcast on BBC Sounds<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2018Australia have to be massive favourites. The question really was \u201cWhich team\u2019s under the most pressure?\u201d Well, Australia are under the most pressure because they\u2019re expected to win. They\u2019re brilliant at home.<\/p>\n

\u2018But they\u2019ve got question marks over their team and question marks over [the fitness of] captain [Pat Cummins].<\/p>\n

\t\t\"South
\n\t\tStuart Broad has questioned Australia\u2019s Ashes squad (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n

\u2018You wouldn\u2019t be outlandish in thinking \u2013 it\u2019s actually not an opinion, it\u2019s a fact \u2013 it\u2019s probably the worst Australian team since 2010 when England last won, and it\u2019s the best English team since 2010.<\/p>\n

\u2018So those things match up to the fact it\u2019s going to be a brilliant Ashes series.\u2019<\/p>\n

Broad retired at the end of the last Ashes series in 2023, finishing his extraordinary career with 604 Test wickets, the second-most by an Englishman behind James Anderson.<\/p>\n

\u2018Australia have been so consistent for a long period of time that you just knew who was going to open the batting, who was going to bat where, what bowlers there were \u2013 and they don\u2019t have that,\u2019 the 39-year-old added.<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s very much a similar situation to 2010-2011 when England went and won there.<\/p>\n

\u2018The fact of the matter is Australia generally have to be bad to lose in Australia and England have to be very good. England have a great chance of being very good and Australia have a decent chance of being bad.<\/p>\n

\u2018I don\u2019t think anyone could argue that it\u2019s their weakest team since 2010\u2026 it\u2019s just a fact.\u2019<\/p>\n

Perth\u2019s Optus Stadium hosts the Ashes opener on November 21 before the teams head to Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney for an intriguing series.<\/p>\n

For more stories like this,\u00a0check our sport page<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on
\nFacebook<\/a>,\u00a0Twitter<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Arrow
\nMORE: Australia provide Pat Cummins injury update ahead of the Ashes<\/a><\/p>\n

Arrow
\nMORE: Australia dealt huge injury blow ahead of Ashes series against England<\/a><\/p>\n

Arrow
\nMORE: Piers Morgan apologises for \u2018over the top\u2019 comment about England legend<\/a><\/p>\n


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