Ashes heat begins early as Australia goes all-in on Sheffield Shield News24 –

The majority of the Australian Ashes Test team will be involved with the fourth round of the Sheffield Shield this week and obtain valuable match practice prior to the first Test. As the players have only five days to prepare before the Ashes series starts, they are spending this time honing their skills at home. All the members of the squad will play in Shield games that will be held at such venues as the SCG, WACA, and Bellerive Oval with the exception of Usman Khawaja. This round is one of the major preparation stages before the much-anticipated home Ashes series.

Lyon Unfazed By England’s Build-Up Ahead Of Ashes Opener

Last week the former England skipper Michael Vaughan cast doubt on the tourist team’s training program and noted just how vastly different conditions are from Perth Stadium. Knowing that you can’t put the cart before the horse and ignite an early row, Australia’s players have kept quiet on England’s operations. England’s preparation is a formula that no longer holds, with cramped schedules meaning few real tour games.

“England can prepare however they want to prepare,” Nathan Lyon said this week.

“I am not worried about how they’re preparing or anything to do with them until the morning of November 21.”

Australia Gains Edge With Extended Ashes Lead-Up

Australia did not play any warm-up games in 2023 before meeting England. But once again, they won the Test Championship final, and next came the first two Ashes encounters against England. However, to have a longer lead-in gives clearer advantages to Australian players with the time at which these games will be played than to those of England.