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England passed up the chance to face Australia A at a major venue--potentially on a lively Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) pitch--opting instead to focus on a shortened Ashes tour schedule, which has left them trailing 0-2 with three Tests remaining, as per The Sydney Morning Herald.
More than a year ago, during pre-tour discussions, Cricket Australia offered England the routine opportunity to play an Australia A side ahead of the first Test in Perth. However, England opted to fly straight to Perth for an internal trial match instead. This decision was partly influenced by the fact that most players were already on Australia's east coast following a white-ball tour of New Zealand ahead of the Tests, and also because England have routinely avoided formal warm-up matches during the "Bazball" era. England's pre-tour negotiations were overseen by then-director of cricket operations Stuart Hooper, a former Bath rugby player and official, who left the ECB earlier this year after being revealed as a key figure behind the Rugby360 breakaway league. The New Zealand tour had been scheduled as part of the Future Tours Program in mid-2022, shortly after men's managing director Rob Key and coach Brendon McCullum assumed leadership of the England setup. Key was responsible for bringing Hooper on board. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, a UK report this week revealed that England had asked for a dedicated training block at the WACA Ground, similar to what India received last summer. However, their request was denied because of a Sheffield Shield match scheduled that week, and they were instead offered either Lilac Hill or a club ground in Adelaide. Officials at the England and Wales Cricket Board are reportedly keen to establish a detailed memorandum of understanding for the next two Ashes series in 2027 and 2029-30, ensuring that touring teams have sufficient preparation time, as per The Sydney Morning Herald. Australian cricket authorities have indicated they are open to providing England with more extensive preparations for future Ashes tours, on the condition that Australia receives the same treatment when touring the UK. Cricket Australia has not yet received any formal communication from the ECB regarding warm-up plans for the upcoming Ashes series, but has confirmed that it is open to discussions. The ongoing Ashes series has Australia leading 2-0 despite fielding an under-strength side missing Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. England's struggles have been worsened by the loss of fast bowler Mark Wood, who is sidelined with recurring knee issues. The third Ashes Test is scheduled to get underway on December 17 at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide. (ANI)
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