English Squad Touches Down In Australia One Month Before The First Ashes Test

The England Test side for the Ashes that includes skipper Joe Root, all-rounder Ben Stokes and pace bowler James Anderson touched down in Queensland on Saturday, a month before the start of the opening Test at the Gabba from December 8.

The touring party, which also has opening batter Rory Burns and England pacer Stuart Broad, will undergo a 14-day quarantine at Gold Coast and will be joined by other members of the squad following the completion of the ICC T20 World Cup in the UAE.

While in isolation, the players will be allowed to train at the Metricon Stadium under strict quarantine conditions from November 10 to 20.

The playing group, which also includes England assistant coach Graham Thorpe and his team, will be based on the Gold Coast for their 14-day quarantine period before moving to Brisbane to play two intra-squad warm-up matches later this month.

"Cricket Australia is working with the Queensland Government and Queensland Health to prioritise the health and safety of the community, players and support staff," said an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) statement on Saturday.

Working alongside Thorpe will be elite pace bowling Coach Jon Lewis. The Lions contingent, which is accompanying the Test side, also has its set of coaches, including Carl Hopkinson (Elite Fielding Coach), Bruce French (Wicketkeeping Consultant) and Jonathan Trott (Batting Consultant). Completing the set-up will be Kent's Head of Talent Pathway Min Patel and Nottinghamshire coach Ant Botha, who have both been seconded from the County network for the tour.

Once England's T20 World Cup commitments are complete and a 14-day quarantine period is served on the Gold Coast, England head coach Chris Silverwood, assistant coach Paul Collingwood, elite spin coach Jeetan Patel and wicketkeeping consultant James Foster will join the Ashes party in Brisbane.

Mo Bobat, ECB Performance Director, said, "We are looking forward to getting our prep period underway on the Gold Coast ahead of the Ashes and Lions Tour, respectively.

"The coaching team selected has an excellent blend of credentials grounded in experiences through the England pathway and the wider county game. In addition to the specialist expertise, we have individuals in our coaching team that have experienced success in Australian conditions, which will benefit the players' preparation ahead of the Ashes and Lions competitive experiences.

"For the period up until the end of the warm-up matches, the coaching team will assist both groups of players. However, once we start the final build-up to the first Ashes Test, we will then split into two distinct groups with the Lions preparing for their four-day match against Australia A on 9 December."