Former England captain Michael Vaughan believes that if England play warm-up matches in the run-up to the Ashes in Australia, they should be proper games with eleven members on both sides. He also said that if Covid-19 situation does not allow England to play state sides, he would be willing to arrange for two competitive intra-squad matches and give them first-class status.
"Another important aspect is the two warm-up games. They can't play state sides because of Covid so I would personally arrange two very competitive intra-squad matches and give them first-class status. It must be 11 versus 11, proper games of cricket with players thinking the numbers count on their first-class records. There have to be consequences for playing a poor shot or bowling a bad spell," wrote Vaughan in his column for The Telegraph on Saturday.
Vaughan maintains that the top six batsmen must be drafted in one eleven while the first-choice bowling attack be included in the opposite side. "I would make it dead obvious as well. I would pick my top six for the first Test match in one team, and my first-choice bowling attack in the opposing side. Make it blatantly obvious to the players so those that are not first choice have something to play for and think, 'hold on a minute, I've got to do something here to get in the top six or in the bowling unit'."
