Ashes 2021-22: England opt against keeping Lions’ squad members

England’s management has decided not to keep any of the 14-man Lions squad with the Ashes squad in Australia. Thus, the majority of players of the touring side flew back home on Tuesday, December 13. The England Lions team had traveled to Australia in the month of November.

They were joined by the members of the Ashes squad who weren’t a part of the T20 World Cup 2021 that was held in the UAE. The England Lions side was scheduled to play internal warmup games but bad weather had affected their preparations. While the main team played the first Ashes Test at Gabba, the Lions played Australia A in a four-day fixture at Ian Healy Oval.

The England Lions were wrapped up at just 103 runs in their first innings and were left to chase the target of 460 runs in the second innings. The visitors were restricted to 347 runs wherein Australia A won the match by 112 runs. James Bracey though hit a century but that went in vain as the visitors had to face a defeat by a big margin.

Bracey had made his return to the England setup though the Lions one after having struggled in his first two Tests against New Zealand in June. He said that being considered for the main tour was not in anyone’s mind. England already has Jonny Bairstow, Zak Crawley, and Dan Lawrence as backup batters in the setup.

It’s not been a huge thing at the forefront of our mind: James Bracey

“It’s a big squad, the Ashes squad, and there’s a few batters waiting in the wings. It’s not been a huge thing at the forefront of our minds. But if it’s now, or in later years, it’s great to put a case forward in a Lions Test, and to get a hundred was really pleasing. I’m going home with one more first-class hundred than I had going out. In a year with lots of ups and downs, I’ve really backed myself technique-wise. Where my head’s at is probably the big thing. There has been a lot to process, lots of stuff thrown at me,” Bracey said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.