‘World changed for England’
NOT EASY: PERTH IS TOUGH WITHOUT THE DISTRACTIONS
– Senior batsman Alastair Cook (below) says the world has changed for English cricket in the wake of the damaging Ben Stokes affair, and warned the team cannot afford any more “mistakes”.
The star all-rounder is currently banned from the international game while authorities probe his alleged involvement in a latenight fight outside a nightclub.
Cook, a former captain who will become the first Englishman to play 150 Tests when he appears against Australia in today’s crucial third Ashes clash in Perth, admits his side has been slow to learn from the fall-out.
Dubbed a “behavioural cleanskin”, Cook senses England should have learnt their lesson months ago that standards would be intensely scrutinised in the wake of the Stokes scandal.
“The world has obviously changed for the English cricket team from September. We have taken a couple of months to really realise that,” Cook said.
“These last two incidents have proved that. I’ve seen words written down, ‘trivial misdemeanour at best’, but since the Stokes incident times have changed for the English cricket team.”
Cook was referring to further off-field alcohol-related scandals involving Jonny Bairstow and Ben Duckett on the tour of Australia.
“It’s sad in some ways because we have always been a bit different to football and been able to go under the radar a bit and enjoy playing cricket for England and enjoy seeing the country outside that,” Cook said.
But the spotlight was now firmly on England and its off-field antics and “it’s now down to us to adjust to it quickly and we can’t afford any more mistakes”.
England have named an unchanged side for the third Test.
Captain Joe Root decided to tweak the batting order with wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow moving up to No 6 and all-rounder Moeen Ali dropping back to No 7. Also see Page 34
Off-field incidents used as ammunition by Australians on the field.
England captain Joe Root sought to draw a line under the litany of off-field incidents that have dogged the team throughout the Ashes yesterday, even as a senior player admitted they would continue to haunt the side during the third Test that starts today.
Two-nil down to Australia after defeats in Brisbane and Adelaide, England must at least cobble a draw at the Waca to keep the five-match series alive, at a venue where they have lost their last seven matches.
On the eve of the Perth Test, however, the tourists’ hopes of focusing on the cricket continued to be tested with queries about the team’s off-field culture.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan criticised the side for behaving like “students” on tour in the wake of the suspension handed to England Lions squad member Ben Duckett for pouring a drink over the head of pace bowler James Anderson.
British media, meanwhile, reported that England coach Trevor Bayliss had threatened players that careers would be on the line if another off-field distraction arose following the Ben Stokes suspension and Jonny Bairstow’s “head-butt” incident.
Having already been quizzed repeatedly about team discipline, Root hoped that his players could put the focus back on cricket and away from the bar with a good Waca performance.
“You’ve got to take it in your stride, you’ve got to move on and as you’re fully aware from our point of view, it’s very disappointing how things have turned out so far,” he told reporters.
“It’s about putting that right now, this week. We had an excellent attitude around practice yesterday and it has to be the same today. It’s obviously been a big learner (in terms of captaincy),” Root added.
The off-field incidents have been used as ammunition on the field by Australia.
Captain Steve Smith claimed his team had unsettled Bairstow in the series-opener at the Gabba by sledging him about his headbutt “greeting” of Australia’s opening batsman Cameron Bancroft during a boozy night out in Perth last month.
Anderson said Duckett’s gaffe was certain to be raised out on the field at the Waca. – Reuters