Chris Woakes on Monday hit back at suggestions that England cricketers are not taking up the challenge of Australia’s Ashes tour due to dire concerns coronavirus Quarantine restrictions.
The England and Wales Cricket Board named a strong squad on Sunday for the “Down Under” tour starting 8 December, after the players agreed “conditional acceptance” to go ahead with it.
There were fears that the Ashes would be canceled after concerns over the strict Covid-19 quarantine guidelines England players and their families would have to follow in Australia.
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England legend Ian Botham claimed that some players “didn’t envision the ultimate test”.
However, Vox dismissed those suggestions and pointed to the implications of living in a biosecure bubble.
International cricketers have been forced to face restrictions on daily life due to the coronavirus pandemic, often in hotels for months.
“There was never too much doubt that everyone was willing to go and play,” the 32-year-old told reporters.
“People want what life will be like once we’re there. I don’t think there’s anyone hiding behind Covid.
“We’ll be biting off. There’s a bunch of guys in the England team who have a chance to go to Australia and win the Ashes series. That’s huge. It’s still the peak and everybody knows that.”
Woakes said he has yet to decide whether to travel to Australia with his young family, with the prospect of a 14-day quarantine upon arrival and limited contact with loved ones between matches.
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For next month, the all-rounder’s focus is on the T20 World Cup, starting in the United Arab Emirates and Oman later in October.
“We have a big World Cup ahead of us. You don’t want to reach the end of the World Cup and think, ‘I wasn’t fully engaged’,” he said.
“This is a great opportunity to raise some silverware for your country and this T20 World Cup can be won by pretty much anyone.
“It is so exciting and it will be a great tournament to be a part of. The Ashes stuff has to be built – we have to pay close attention to that.”
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