Ashes 2021: Family boycott threat widens as World Cup approaches

Some of England’s biggest stars are threatening to boycott the Ashes if their families can’t travel with them.

England paceman Jofra Archer.

Doubts over families and partners accompanying players has caused anxiety among Australian and English cricketers as they contemplate the World Cup and Ashes.

England’s Professional Cricketers Association is expected to take up the issue of the Australian tour with the ECB sometime in the next week.

Unsupported suggestions in some English outlets suggest the Ashes would need to be postponed – an eventuality nobody believes will occur.

Senior members of the squad are threatening, however, not to tour unless they can take their families with them.

Multi-format players including Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow and Sam Curran would be away from the start of October for the T20 World Cup through to the end of January when the Ashes conclude.

A number have said they will not go unless their families can join them as they normally would for the Test series which spans the Christmas period.

Stokes, Wood, Buttler and Chris Woakes have young children.

Cricket Australia says it is too early to get any clarity on the issue, but the Australian government will be under pressure as it fights public perception that there are one set of rules for the minority and another for everyone else.

England stars like Ben Stokes could go months without seeing their families.

There is already outrage over permission to enter Australia being granted to right wing activist Katie Hopkins who was eventually deported for breaking quarantine rules.

Exemptions for religious groups and the film industry have also attracted criticism when ordinary Australians have been separated from loved ones for over a year.

“Cricket Australia continues to work closely with the ECB and government authorities in Australia regarding the upcoming Ashes series, which will be the centrepiece for one of the biggest summers of cricket on record,” a spokesperson for Cricket Australia said on Tuesday.

“With the Ashes four months away, we are currently planning the operational requirements of this tour and working with the ECB on the proposed make-up of the England touring party.

“As was the case last season, CA will work constructively and in partnership with government to deliver the summer of cricket, while ensuring the health, wellbeing and safety of the community.”

Cricket Australia changed plans on a number of occasions last summer, including at the last minute when Queensland torpedoed a deal to allow the touring Indians to land into Brisbane, before settling on Sydney.

Australian players are also waiting to see if they will be allowed to take families to the UAE for the World Cup.

The BCCI is hosting the tour, but will be subject to the restrictions placed on it by the host country.

Mitchell Starc was Australia’s star with the ball.

Meanwhile, Australia won the third and final ODI against the West Indies on Tuesday to take that series 2-1 – a pleasing result after they had lost the T20 internationals 4-1.

Mitchell Starc (3-43) spearheaded the bowling to finish a series where he took 11-117 and was the outstanding bowler.

The West Indies only managed to post 152 thanks to Starc, three spinners and the frugal Josh Hazlewood who took 2-18 from eight overs

A rag tag collective of batsman managed to reel in the home side’s total with ease, senior batsman Matthew Wade guiding them home and improving his tour with an undefeated 51.

Dan Christian played his first ODI for Australia in seven years but did not bat or bowl.

West Indies captain Kieron Pollard, who was involved in a prolonged slanging match with Wade while the Australian batted, blasted the pitches after the game.

“Coming here to Barbados, I think both teams struggled on the pitch and I think that’s unacceptable for international cricket,” he said. “We are not going to make excuses. We batted badly but I don’t think the scores that we have gotten in this three match series, for two top international teams, I think it is very embarrassing for us as a people. Coming from St Lucia to this, I think it’s absolutely ridiculous.”

Originally published as Ashes 2021: Family boycott threat widens as World Cup approaches