Perth, Nov 11 (NationPress) England's batting coach Marcus Trescothick has stood by the team’s limited preparations for the forthcoming Ashes series, asserting that the absence of multiple warm-up matches against local teams is indicative of the evolving standards in the modern game.

In the past week, the touring squad has gradually convened in Perth, with the complete team, including several players back from a limited-overs tour of New Zealand, participating in a two-hour training session at Lilac Hill, located in Perth’s eastern suburbs.

They are set to commence a three-day match against their 'A' team, the England Lions, at the same venue starting Thursday. However, in contrast to 2013 and 2017, they will not face a local WA team in preparation for the opening Test of the series.

Following Ian Botham's concerns regarding their preparation, which he described as “bordering on arrogance” for not playing against a state team, Trescothick dismissed worries about whether the slower conditions at Lilac Hill would adequately prepare them for the predicted fast and bouncy pitch at Optus Stadium for the Ashes opener on November 21.

“The structure of these series, for us and for other teams given the extensive cricket played globally, doesn’t allow for extensive preparations that involve two or three First Class matches. This is simply how modern cricket is played. We are fully satisfied with our current arrangements. We’ve utilized the facilities here, including the nets, and we’ll have three days to acclimatize at Optus before we proceed,” Trescothick conveyed as reported by The West Australian.

Since the appointment of Brendon McCullum as coach and Ben Stokes as captain in 2022, England's Test cricket has undergone a significant transformation, adopting an aggressive style termed ‘Bazball’ in tribute to their New Zealand mentor.