There was no shortage of effort from England and the promise that they would be motivated going into a first Ashes series in 22 years could not be questioned. But there was a critical lack of quality at any stage of the contest, which means Shaun Wane, the head coach, is surely going to have to make changes to try to keep the series alive.
The pantheon of players who have represented England and Great Britain in the past 22 years is a modernday who's who of the game. Sam Burgess, James Graham, Sean O'Loughlin, James Roby the list is long, storied and impressive. You could argue there is plenty dividing those players, not least their ferocious rivalries at club level in Super League. But
I have loved every minute of every T20 game I have played for Australia, particularly the 2021 World Cup, not just because we won but the incredible group and the fun along the way. Looking ahead to an away Indian test tour, the Ashes and an ODI World Cup in 2027, I feel this is my best way forward to remain fresh, fit and at my best for those campaigns.
