Michael Vaughan has warned that it will be "amateurish" if England don't play a pink-ball tour match before the second Ashes Test in Brisbane.
England collapsed to a dizzying defeat inside two days in the opening Ashes Test, after being bowled out for under 200 twice. Travis Head scored a rapid century in the evening session of Day Two to give Australia a 1-0 lead in the series.
The speed at which the result was reached means England now have an 11-day gap before the second Test, a day-night game, begins in Brisbane. England have never won a day-night Test in Australia, losing twice in Adelaide in 2017 and 2021, and losing the final Test of the 2021/22 series in Hobart. More generally, England's record in day-night Test matches is bad. They've played seven, lost five and won two, and all of their losses have been by at least 120 runs.
''It's amateurish if they don't go and play.''@MichaelVaughan believes England should play in a pink-ball tour game in preparation for the second Test after defeat in Perth. 🏏#BBCCricket #Ashes pic.twitter.com/4Oklb4sz13
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) November 22, 2025
Speaking on BBC Test Match Special after England's defeat in Perth, Vaughan said: "It's amateurish if they don't go an play [a day-night warm-up Test]... What damage is it going to do you as a team and a player to play a pink ball game against Starc? The bowlers even, I mean, they've played two days of cricket and they've been out in the field for what, 70 overs?
England do have a two-day pink-ball warm-up match scheduled against a Prime Minister's game, but given their fragile group of fast-bowlers, it's unlikely that they intended all of their quicks to play in that match. The game is set to begin at the Manuka Oval on November 29, a week after the actual end of the first Test.
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"They're professional cricketers," said Vaughan. "I can't be so old school to suggest that by playing cricket you might get a little bit better. I'd like to know why they wouldn't."
England's bowlers rattled through Australia for 132 in the first innings at Perth, but had no answer for Travis Head's blitz at the end of day two. Ahead of the start of the second day, England released Jacob Bethell, Matthew Potts and Will Jacks from their squad to get some game time in at the England Lions fixture happening at Lilac Hill, not far from the Perth Stadium.
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