Call Us Rubbish, Arrogant Is Too Far - Stokes

Captain Ben Stokes said he tin judge disapproval of his England squad but believes allegations of arrogance are "too far".

England person travel nether dense scrutiny for nan mode and consequence to their crushing conclusion by Australia successful nan first Ashes Test.

The visitors threw distant a ascendant position to suffer wrong 2 days successful Perth, past opted not to nonstop immoderate of nan XI from nan first Test to play successful an England Lions lucifer against nan Prime Minister's XI successful Canberra.

Former Australia gait bowler Mitchell Johnson called England "arrogant" and "cocky Poms" who are astatine consequence of "serious embarrassment".

Stokes told BBC Sport: "You tin telephone america rubbish, telephone america immoderate you want. We didn't person nan Test lucifer that we wanted to.

"Arrogant mightiness beryllium a small spot excessively far, but that's OK. We'll return nan unsmooth pinch nan smooth. I'd alternatively words for illustration 'rubbish', but 'arrogant', I'm not truthful judge astir that."

Stokes was speaking arsenic England began 5 days of training successful Brisbane successful nan run-up to nan 2nd Test - a day-nighter astatine nan Gabba which originates connected Thursday, 4 December.

England's convention astatine Allan Border Field connected Saturday greeting was curtailed by rain.

Three players from nan Ashes squad who did not play successful Perth – Jacob Bethell, Josh Tongue and Matthew Potts – person joined nan Lions for their two-day pink-ball lucifer successful nan capital.

Of nan remaining 13 successful Brisbane, only Mark Wood was not coming for nan optional convention connected Saturday arsenic nan accelerated bowler rested nan near knee upon which he had room earlier this year.

Stokes was talking successful nationalist for nan first clip since nan aftermath of nan conclusion astatine Perth Stadium.

The all-rounder admitted he accepts nan statement astir England's stance connected nan Canberra fixture, said his squad request to "learn" from nan first Test, and he understands nan disappointment of supporters pursuing nan capacity successful Perth.

England were not scheduled to play successful Canberra, but nan swift conclusion to nan first Test raised nan imaginable of much clip successful nan mediate and acquisition pinch nan pinkish ball.

The visitors opted against sending nan first-Test XI to nan superior successful nan desire to support nan squad together for reasons of morale. There was besides a emotion a slow, debased transportation successful mild Canberra would not supply useful conditions successful which to hole for nan power of Brisbane and gait of nan Gabba.

Former skipper Michael Vaughan and BBC main cricket commentator Jonathan Agnew were among those to mobility England's decision, while Stokes' squad received support from 2 different ex-England skippers, Michael Atherton and Alec Stewart.

"I do understand it," said Stokes. "We person a pink-ball lucifer coming up successful Brisbane, and we person an opportunity to play immoderate pink-ball cricket.

"But there's evidently a batch much to it than conscionable that. You return each nan factors into consideration, nan pros and cons, immoderate it whitethorn be. We past talk that and determine what we deliberation is nan champion preparation.

"We person a fewer much days disconnected than we planned aft that Test. We had to spell distant and inquire really we usage these adjacent fewer days wisely successful bid to beryllium prepared for what it will beryllium for illustration successful Brisbane."

England had fixed themselves an outstanding opportunity aft 4 sessions of nan first Test. At 65-1 successful their 2nd innings, nan visitors had a lead of 105 runs.

But England mislaid their past 9 wickets for 99 runs, including a calamitous spell of 3-0 erstwhile each of Ollie Pope, Harry Brook and Joe Root were dismissed driving astatine nan ball.

The illness has led to much questions of England's attacking style. Though Stokes pointed to nan aggression of Australia's Travis Head, who made nan second-fastest period successful Ashes history to lead nan location broadside to victory, nan England skipper accepted his squad could person been "a batch better".

"The important point we request to do arsenic a squad and individuals is study from it," said Stokes. "We person identified those moments and spoken astir them arsenic a group.

"In position of execution, could we person been amended astatine executing what we want to do? Definitely.

"Sometimes erstwhile you spell retired location and make a decision, it doesn't ever salary off, aliases activity nan measurement you want it to. That's nan cardinal for nan remainder of this tour, staying existent to nan beliefs of really we play our cricket, but besides we do cognize we could person been a batch amended successful definite ways."

England had won only 1 of their 17 erstwhile Tests erstwhile Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum took complete nan successful 2022.

The upturn successful results and breathtaking style of cricket rebuilt a relationship pinch supporters, a relationship that has been tested successful nan past week. Many of those travelling to Perth spent immense sums of money, only to spot England beaten successful nan first two-day Ashes Test for 104 years.

"We cognize that there'll beryllium a batch of disappointed fans aft that first defeat," said Stokes. But it's a five-game series, we've sewage 4 games to go.

"We've mislaid nan first 1 - we're perfectly hopeless to travel location pinch that extremity from earlier we started nan series, which is to triumph nan Ashes, and doing perfectly everything wrong our powers and utilizing our clip champion to let america to spell retired location and effort and execute that goal."