Ashes 2021: In a major setback to England players, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday said that there will be no ‘special deals’ for the families of England’s cricketers to tour with the players during the upcoming Ashes series. For more sports news and updates, follow us at insidesport.co
The first Test of the Ashes series is due to get underway at Brisbane on December 8, but the tour remains in doubt as England players still don’t have the clarity on entry to Australia for them and their families.
A number of England players have also expressed reservations about the strict quarantine measures that are likely to be in place for the duration of the tour.
Ashes diplomacy: Boris Johnson and Scott Morrison in Washington DC
Ashes 2021: British PM Boris Johnson, who is currently on a diplomatic visit to Washington DC, had asked Morrison to help ease strict quarantine rules as England players are seeking assurances their family members will be allowed to join them in Australia during the five-Test series in December and January.
“I raised it [with Mr Morrison] and he said he was going to do his best for the families,” Mr Johnson told reporters in Washington. “He totally got the point that for cricketers it is very tough to ask people to be away from their families over Christmas. He merely undertook to come back and see if he could find a solution,” Johnson had said.
Morrison, however, seemed to see things slightly different, comparing cricketers to ‘skilled workers and students’.
“I would love to see the Ashes go ahead, as I shared with Boris last night. But there are no special deals there, because what we’re looking to have is vaccinated people being able to travel. I don’t see a great deal of difference in skilled workers or students who will be able to come to Australia when you reach those vaccination rates,” Morrison was quoted as saying by skysports.com.
“Those who are coming for that purpose when it comes to their profession, which is playing cricket, I don’t see the difference between that and someone who’s coming as a skilled, qualified engineer or someone who’s coming to be ready for study,” he added.
Ashes 2021: Situation in Australia
Australia’s borders are effectively shut in an effort to control COVID-19. The international travel is set to resume when Australia reaches 80% double vaccination for over 16s but, nationally, that figure is unlikely to be reached before the Ashes squad is due to arrive in the country.
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