Ashes 2025-26: Michael Vaughan says it would be ‘amateurish’ if England do not play pink-ball warm-up

Ashes 2025-26: Michael Vaughan says it would be ‘amateurish’ if England do not play pink-ball warm-up


England’s preparation before the Perth Test was questioned, given it included only one warm-up game against the Lions.

Previous tours have included multiple warm-ups against Australian state sides but England prefer to keep their preparation in-house these days. They won the first match on their three previous tours with a similar schedule.

The two-day Prime Minister’s XI match in Canberra would give the players chance for competitive cricket playing under lights with the pink ball, however.

History suggests there are few significant differences between how the pink and red ball acts but batters do sometimes struggle seeing the pink version as clearly under the lights.

Australia have won 13 of their 14 day-night Tests, including all three against England.

“Whether they like it or not, all these conversations are going to come back to England,” Vaughan said.

“It’s amateurish if England don’t go out and practice between now and then.

“What harm is it playing two days of cricket with the pink ball under lights?

“I can’t be so old school to suggest that by playing cricket they might get a little bit better?

“My method would be, you’ve got a pink-ball two-day game, you go and grab it, go and take it, play those two days and give yourself the best chance.”

Former Australia batter Stuart Law questioned the merits of sending the Test players to Canberra, however, because of the difference in conditions compared to Brisbane.

“I wouldn’t want to bat in Canberra and then go to Brisbane,” he told Sportsworld on BBC World Service.

“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.”



BBC Sport

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