Former England captain Michael Vaughan has expressed his surprise that the team will not play a pink-ball warm-up match before their second Ashes Test in Brisbane, labeling it "amateurish". The decision to skip this practice game has raised concerns among some observers, with Vaughan arguing that playing against a Prime Minister's XI featuring the Lions development side does not provide sufficient preparation for the demands of day-night cricket with a pink ball.
Vaughan believes that practicing with the pink ball would help England prepare better and increase their chances of winning the series. He pointed out that Australia have dominated day-night Tests, including all three against England in recent years.
The team's captain, Ben Stokes, acknowledged feeling "shell-shocked" after their crushing defeat on Saturday but defended his side's batting performance, praising Travis Head for his stunning assault to power Australia towards victory.
Vaughan's comments highlight the challenges that England will face in this series and the importance of adequate preparation. With 12 days until their second Test, any further slip-ups could prove costly, especially against a team as strong as Australia.
Vaughan believes that practicing with the pink ball would help England prepare better and increase their chances of winning the series. He pointed out that Australia have dominated day-night Tests, including all three against England in recent years.
The team's captain, Ben Stokes, acknowledged feeling "shell-shocked" after their crushing defeat on Saturday but defended his side's batting performance, praising Travis Head for his stunning assault to power Australia towards victory.
Vaughan's comments highlight the challenges that England will face in this series and the importance of adequate preparation. With 12 days until their second Test, any further slip-ups could prove costly, especially against a team as strong as Australia.
. Ben Stokes did defend his side's batting well though, Travis Head was on fire 
! The Ashes series is gonna be intense this year, can't wait to watch 
what are they thinking?! Skipping a pink-ball warm-up match is like going into battle without even practicing your sword fighting skills 
. I mean, you can't just expect to adapt to that kind of ball without putting in some serious work. It's not just about the bat, it's about the whole team's strategy and preparation. Ben Stokes saying they were "shell-shocked" is one thing, but come on, guys, take responsibility for your game! 
. You gotta get some practice under your belt before you can tackle the big guys. I'm curious to see how England adapts to this new format and whether they'll be able to give Australia a run for their money 
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. I mean, a pink-ball warm-up match would've been a great way for England to get accustomed to the conditions and strategize ahead of the big match. Vaughan's right, playing against the PM's XI just isn't gonna cut it in terms of preparing for day-night cricket with that weird ball 
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. They know what they're doing when it comes to adapting to different formats and conditions. So, if England don't take this seriously, they might be in for a world of trouble 
. Ben Stokes is trying to defend their batting performance, but let's be real, a crushing defeat like that can't be sugarcoated 
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. Vaughny makes a fair point, though - practicing with a pink ball can make all the difference. It's not like England hasn't done this before, but maybe they've gotten too complacent? 
The pressure's on Ben Stokes and co to get it right, or else Australia's gonna take full advantage 
.
️. I'm worried about our batsmen, they're going to get roasted out there 
. Come on England, sort this out! 
I mean, who needs a practice game with a pink ball anyway? It's not like it's going to make or break the series or anything... *rolls eyes* 
Ben Stokes thinks his team's batting is "good enough" after getting thrashed on Saturday? 
. Maybe Vaughan's just feeling a bit anxious about the series and wants to see his team prepare even more 
. Either way, I think we'll still see some amazing cricket in Brisbane 
. The fact that England is focusing on other areas of their game, like the Lions development side, shows they're taking the Ashes seriously 
, no need for a warm-up match! 
Vaughn's comments are spot on 
, practice with the pink ball and take those Ashes by storm 
! 
. It's like, 12 days out and they're already getting slammed 
... gotta make some changes, ya know?