Ian Botham takes aim at England’s ‘mollycoddled’ stars after Ashes capitulation
- Ian Botham has hit out at the England cricket team after they collapsed to an eight-wicket defeat in the first Ashes Test against Australia.
- He told The Telegraph that England’s bowlers are “mollycoddled” and branded the team’s decision to prepare for the Ashes by playing a one-day series in New Zealand as “absolute nonsense”.
- England have opted against playing a pink-ball warm-up match in Canberra and will instead focus on more net sessions ahead of the second Test, but Botham insisted “nets are for fishing”.
- Ben Stokes hit out at former players before the Ashes for criticising his team’s preparations, labelling them “has-beens”.
- Botham claims he is not sure whether Stokes was being serious, but has urged England to “prove me wrong” by bouncing back in the next four Tests.