Vaughan’s ‘absolutely stupid’ warning to England after Ashes decision

England lost the first Ashes Test inside two days and have chosen to take an 11-day break rather than play a day-night tour match in Canberra, with Michael Vaughan having strong views on the decision

Former England captain Michael Vaughan argued that it would be “stupid” not to use the tour match in Canberra as practice before the second Test. The 51-year-old argued it would provide valuable preparation for Ben Stokes‘ squad to familiarise themselves with the pink ball following their embarrassing two-day thrashing in the opening Ashes encounter.

Australia demolished the tourists on day two, with Travis Head’s match-winning 123 steering the hosts to a commanding eight-wicket triumph. Following the most catastrophic defeat in the Bazball era, England’s first-choice players were given the option of an 11-day rest or participating in the Canberra tour match against the Prime Minister’s XI in a two-day, day-night fixture.

Vaughan regarded the opportunity to feature in the capital as perfect preparation for the second Test in Brisbane, which will be played under the lights.

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However, Vaughan’s fears have seemingly been answered as BBC Sport has confirmed that none of the players from the first Test have been selected for Canberra.

Instead, the squad will travel to Brisbane on Wednesday, before training on the following Monday, with the possibility of an additional session on Sunday.

Josh Tongue, Matthew Potts and Jacob Bethell will link up with the Lions squad after missing out on the first Test.

Questions have been raised about England’s tactics in the Test series Down Under following their dismal total of 336 runs across their first two knocks.

Mitchell Starc ripped through England’s batting lineup with figures of 7-58 in the opening innings, with Harry Brook managing the top score of 52.

However, Ben Stokes rallied his troops brilliantly as England grabbed nine wickets before stumps on day one.

The final wicket fell during the morning session, yet England failed to make the most of their position.

Scott Boland wreaked havoc with four wickets for 33 runs, whilst Starc wrapped up his 10-wicket match haul in the opening Test, bowling England out for 164 and handing the hosts a commanding 205-run advantage.

Head tore England’s bowling apart to register the second-quickest Ashes century in history, smashing his hundred off merely 69 deliveries.

Following the crushing defeat in Perth, Vaughan believed the two-day tour fixture in the Australian capital presented the perfect chance for England to get vital practice with the pink ball after their opening Test humiliation.

He said: “Well, they’ve got three days to get on the [golf] course.

“No doubt they’ll take that! I just hope they’re sensible, there’s a two-day game in Canberra, a day-night game with the pink ball, if England don’t think that is good preparation to go play a pink ball game against Starc and co in Brisbane…

“If they don’t play that two-day game on the back of losing here in two days, I know the plan is to play the Lions, but if this England side don’t think it’s good preparation to play a pink ball game, they’re absolutely stupid. I’m not unreasonable and I’m not a dinosaur to suggest that England should play a pink ball game, it’s two days, not four, two days in Canberra.

“Go play those two days, get a view of the pink ball under the lights, it might just give them a chance of coming back. If they go and play golf for seven or eight days, go on the beaches, they can do that over the course of the next few days. They’ve got three days off that they didn’t think they would have, make sure they go and play that pink ball. It’s preparation, go and play cricket.”