England's Ashes 0-2 deficit linked to rejected Australia A warm-up: Report

• England rejected a warm-up match against Australia A before the current Ashes series, contributing to their 0-2 deficit.
• England opted for an internal trial match instead, influenced by player location and their "Bazball" era strategy of avoiding formal warm-ups.
• A request by England for WACA Ground training was denied due to a scheduled Sheffield Shield match.
• The ECB seeks a detailed memorandum of understanding for future Ashes series (2027, 2029-30) to ensure adequate preparation time for touring teams.
• Cricket Australia is open to discussions for future tours, provided they receive reciprocal treatment when touring the UK.

Why It Matters: Skipping warm-ups may have cost England the Ashes series.