The Ashes 2019
The Ashes 2019 (Image Credit: Twitter)

England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has reportedly denied postponing the Ashes in December after meeting with England players. The future of the historic Test series Ashes this year seems to be ambiguous as the England players await more clarity on the quarantine rules in Australia.

Reports suggest ECB is not willing to postpone the Ashes

According to a report from ESPNcricinfo, the England cricket team had a meeting with ECB CEO Tom Harrison where the players raised the point of postponement of the tour.

There were two options proposed by the players, the first one was to split the series into two periods and the other was to push the series back 12 months.

England National Cricket Team
England National Cricket Team (Image Credit: Twitter)

The second one was proposed considering that families of players and England supporters could tour Australia to witness the high-octane clash.

But according to the report, the ECB won’t accept any of the proposals and the board have explicitly mentioned that the players can opt-out of the tour.

The decision of the England board has left the players in disappointment and some players won’t even feel the pressure of pulling their names out.

You have to be open to saying no: Jos Buttler on his Ashes participation

England’s vice-captain and wicketkeeper Jos Buttler is one of the first players to have publicly speak about his decision to not participate in the Ashes.

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“One of the challenges is working out where the line is where you say I can’t do that. I’ve sacrificed a lot for cricket and my wife and family have sacrificed a lot,” Buttler had told Sunday Times.

Jos Buttler with wife Louise and daughter Georgia Rose. Photo- Getty
Jos Buttler with wife Louise and daughter Georgia Rose. Photo- Getty

“You have to be open to saying no. It would be incredibly disappointing if some players feel like they can’t do it, but we’re in a world at the moment where that is a possibility,” he added. 

England’s talismanic bowler and senior-most player James Anderson mentioned that his family won’t be travelling with him for the Ashes.

“There are obvious doubts over the Ashes tour and a lot of uncertainty about families travelling and quarantine rules. My family have already said they are not going to Australia,” Anderson wrote in his column for The Telegraph. 

The Ashes is scheduled to commence on December 8 with the first Test will be played at the Gabba in Brisbane.

Also Read: CA And ECB Continue Working On The Ashes, No Plans Of Postponement