England’s Ashes hopes on Scomo

BRITISH Prime Minister Boris Johnson has made a personal intervention to try to save the Ashes series, which is in danger of being cancelled over concerns about strict quarantine rules and arrangements for the England players’ families.

The Prime Minister had dinner with Australian PM Scott Morrison in Washington DC on Tuesday and sought to persuade him to loosen the rules.

Several England players have indicated that they are not prepared to take part in the Test tour, which is due to run from November to January, if they and their families have to do two weeks of “hard” quarantine in a government-selected hotel, as is required of new arrivals to Australia.

“I raised the Ashes (with Morrison) and he said they were going to do their best for the families,” Johnson said. “He totally got the point that for cricketers it is very tough to ask people to be away from their families over Christmas.”

Asked what assurances he had received from Morrison, Johnson said: “He merely undertook to come back and see if he could find a solution.”

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is waiting for further details from Cricket Australia about the conditions that will be placed on players, coaches and their families.

The Times