‘Going to inflame’: England cricket team’s ‘egregious’ new rule for the Ashes
An “egregious” new rule in the England cricket team has riled up Aussie cricket fans with the Poms unwittingly inflaming Ashes tensions.
England’s new rule banning any negative talk among the team has amped up the cricket “culture clash” that has Aussie fans ready to hate on the old enemy again this summer.
The Ashes begin on Friday in Perth and there are concerns for both teams heading into the first Test, with injuries to Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood leaving Australia’s bowling attack seriously weakened.
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With more than 600 Test wickets missing from the XI, South Australia’s Brendan Doggett is line to make his debut at age 31, becoming just the third Indigenous man to play Test cricket for Australia.
But England’s batting line-up may be in some strife judging by Ben Stokes’ reaction to some of the shots from his teammates in their warm-up game that resulted in one of the worst six-wicket hauls you will see.
Seeing his batters crumble, England’s captain might have struggled to break his team’s new rule.
Earlier this year, Stuart Broad revealed Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum established a new “no negativity” rule where players are banned from complaining or making negative comments.
For a sport renowned for sledging opposition players and teammates alike, it might prove a tough task for the Poms not to whinge during the Ashes, according to Aussie satirists The Grade Cricketer.
“Suffice to say, when we asked the Aussies whether that would work in their side, they said nobody would say anything because their conversation is almost 100 per cent negativity towards each other and the opposition,” The Grade Cricketer’s Sam Perry told news.com.au.
“This is just England coming with a really strong purpose of how they want to play and how they want to approach Australia.
“It’s fair enough, given they’ve not won a Test here in 14 years. It stands to reason they’d try something different.”
Under Stokes and McCullum’s leadership, England have won 22 from 35 matches — but only six of 14 Tests against Australia and India — the Poms are yet to win any of their three series against their two biggest rivals.
“If the Ashes wasn’t already the perfect clashing of cultures, England talking about how good they are - that could not be more egregious to the Australian psyche,” The Grade Cricketer’s Ian Higgins said.
“That is just not something you do, and especially not something you do in cricket, because cricket will just find a way to bite you back. In Australia, we always say there’s been like five good players ever to play for Australia and outside of that, it’s like, ‘Ah, he was all right’.
“So if you’re coming out here telling everyone how good you are, and your results are middling at best, well, that’s already red rag to a bull.
“On top of that, you can’t say anything negative. Well, I can’t relate to you.”
Perry added: “The most iron-clad law of the game in Australia, culturally, is you never believe you have got the game sorted out. The game will find a way to punish you if you believe you are good at it.
“England are trying to transcend this core truth of the game out here. That is going to inflame Australian emotions.”
The Grade Cricketer (TGC) have built a podcasting and social media empire with a huge following, which could get a boost from their UK fanbase if England put up a fight in the Ashes.
“People like TGC when Australia’s losing,” said Higgins.
“It’s more interesting when Australia’s losing, when there’s chaos and disruption in the side and people are upset. That’s funny.
“There’s nothing funny in being well behaved and winning. People get sick of that. If England somehow manages to do something, it would be good for business.”
Perry and Higgins started The Grade Cricketer as an anonymous Twitter account, and now they’re going back to their roots with a new book, Alphas, Champs and Chop Kings — which gives an insight into the debaucherous nature of Grade Cricket from yesteryear.
“Both fans should always be excited for the Ashes because it’s the biggest series,” Perry said.
“In terms of eyeballs and economically, India is the biggest series. It’s not the biggest series though.
“The Ashes will always be the biggest series for most people, because of colonial reasons.
“India will soon colonise the game and that can be the new Ashes, that’s what their fans want — but not yet.”
The Grade Cricketer's Sam Perry and Ian Higgins will feature on Kayo Sports over the Ashes summer during Fox Cricket's Big Break lunchtime show and longform interviews with cricket legends available to stream on Kayo.
Australia’s squad for 1st Ashes Test: Steve Smith (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster
England Ashes squad: Ben Stokes (c), Harry Brook, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wicket keeper), Josh Tongue Mark Wood
2025-26 Ashes schedule
First Test: Friday November 21-Tuesday November 25 - Optus Stadium, Perth
Second Test (day/night): Thursday December 4-Monday December 8 - The Gabba, Brisbane
Third Test: Wednesday December 17-Sunday December 21 - Adelaide Oval
Fourth Test: Thursday December 25-Monday December 29 - Melbourne Cricket Ground
Fifth Test: Sunday January 4-Thursday January 8 - Sydney Cricket Ground
Originally published as ‘Going to inflame’: England cricket team’s ‘egregious’ new rule for the Ashes
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