'He got the point': Boris Johnson weighs in on Aussie Ashes debacle
UK Prime Minister has questioned Scott Morrison over the feasibility of the Ashes going ahead after calls the English team won't tour if quarantine restrictions are amended.
One of the debates ahead of England's Tour to Australia ahead of the Ashes is around the players' families joining them.
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Australia's strict quarantine rules has prompted reports many players have thrown out the idea of not touring.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, England has played the most international cricket of any team following tours of Sri Lanka, India and a busy home summer.
Players have been forced to operate in biosecurity bubbles during their tours.
England has played 12 away Tests since the beginning of the pandemic, compared to Australia's zero.
Steve Smith, David Warner and Pat Cummins were also a number of stars who also opted out of the short-format tours to the West Indies and Bangladesh.
The workload of the English players has come under scrutiny in the UK with Ben Stokes having been granted a holiday.
Now, in order to attempt to negotiate a better deal for the families of travelling stars, Johnson said he spoke to the Australian prime minister over the restrictions.
“I raised the Ashes [with Morrison] and he said they were going to do their best for the families,” Johnson told reporters.
“He totally got the point that for cricketers it is very tough to ask people to be away from their families over Christmas.”
When asked whether these were assurances, Johnson replied: “He merely undertook to come back and see if he could find a solution.”
However, on Thursday, Morrison responded and said there had been no 'special deal' struck with the UK.
“I would love to see the Ashes go ahead, as I shared with Boris last night,” he told reporters in Washington, during the prime minister's America trip.
“But there’s no special deals there, because what we’re looking to have is vaccinated people being able to travel.
“I don’t see a great deal of difference in skilled workers or students who will be able to come to Australia when you reach those vaccination rates.
“Those who are coming for that purpose when it comes to their profession, which is playing cricket, I don’t see the difference between that and someone who’s coming as a skilled, qualified engineer or someone who’s coming to be ready for study.”
England confident of Ashes tour
Recently, former England captain Michael Vaughan told Fox Sports' The Back Page he thought the Ashes Tour would go ahead, but many players might pull out ahead of schedule.
More recently, he tweeted the continued existence of biosecurity bubbles would deter players from touring.
It’s becoming very clear that Bio Bubbles will not work going forward for Cricketers .. Unless they change more tours/events will either be cancelled or played with not full strength teams !!
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) September 21, 2021
The England and Wales Cricket Board said last month it was "very confident" the Ashes, starting in Brisbane on December 8, would go ahead as planned despite England players saying they may skip the tour if families are unable to travel to Australia.
Australia plans to ease border and quarantine restrictions by the end of 2021, when at least 80% of adults are expected to have received two Covid-19 vaccination shots.
However, officials in the Covid-free states of Western Australia and Queensland have said they will set their own timetables for opening up and may keep their borders shut for longer.
with Reuters
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