PERTH: Ben Stokes dismissed criticisms of England's subdued Ashes preparations, stating they'll go 'balls to the wall' when they take on England Lions in their warm-up match.
Earlier, former Ashes star Ian Botham had criticised the team’s minimal build-up, which features only one three-day match against the second-string squad before the first Test at Perth's Optus Stadium - an approach he described as 'bordering on arrogance'.
Ben Stokes emphasised the intensity of the team’s upcoming preparation period, saying that the next three days will be full-on with no gradual buildup. With only nine days remaining before the first Test match, he noted that much can still change, but the focus will be on giving all selected players valuable time and practice in match conditions.