Starc rubbishes Broad claim last Ashes series was ‘void’ due to Covid-19
Australian bowler Mitchell Starc has rubbished claims from pacer Stuart Broad that England’s 4-0 defeat in the Ashes series was “void” over Covid-19.
Broad, recently named in the side to take on Ireland in England’s pre-Ashes Test, last month said: “I don’t class that as a real Ashes.
“The definition of Ashes cricket is elite sport with lots of passion and players at the top of their game.
“Nothing about that series was high-level performance because of the Covid-19 restrictions.
“The training facilities, the travel, not being able to socialise. I’ve written it off as a void Series.”
Australia will be playing India in the second World Test Championship final at the Oval from 7 June before heading into the Ashes series.
Starc responded to Broad this week, stating: “They has the pool, the gym, they were in a resort on the Gold Coast, they trained at Metricon [stadium], weren’t confined to their rooms and had their families there.
“The funniest thing out of that was they called it quarantine on the Gold Coast.
“I did seven of them. That was the easiest by a country mile.”
Elsewhere in Ashes news, Josh Tongue of Worcestershire has been called up into the England squad ahead of the Ireland Test.
The 25-year-old was the first person to get the wicket of former Australia captain Steve Smith in County cricket.
England men’s selector Luke Wright said: “We have been monitoring Josh [Tongue] for quite some time and he deserves this call-up to the Test squad.
“It will be a great experience for him to understand and get used to the environment under Ben [Stokes] and Brendon [McCullum].”
The first Ashes Test gets underway on 16 June.