England set to name full-strength squad after Ashes tour nod

Joe Root is set to lead a full strength England squad in Australia.

• ECB confirms Ashes will go ahead, subject to conditions England are set to name a full strength squad for this winter’s bid to regain the Ashes after senior players committed to the two-month tour of Australia. The five-match series that begins in Brisbane on 8 December has been the subject of tense negotiations in recent weeks over off-field living conditions and the quarantine arrangements in place for both players and their families. But following a breakthrough in talks during the week the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has ratified the tour, subject to certain conditions being met, with captain Joe Root now expected to be furnished with his strongest possible set of players when an 18- or 19-man squad is named by the head coach, Chris Silverwood, this weekend. Jos Buttler, Root’s vice-captain during the recent India series in the absence of Ben Stokes, was among those wavering over his availability due to the uncertainty over whether loved ones will be able to join the England team on tour. The 31-year-old, currently in Oman with the Twenty20 side ahead of their World Cup campaign, is believed to have agreed to make the trip along with the likes of Chris Woakes and Mark Wood, two other multi-format players who were similarly concerned about time away from their young families. There will still be notable absentees, with Stokes currently on the mend from surgery on his left index finger and still unlikely to feature due to his indefinite break for mental health reasons. Fast bowlers Jofra Archer and Olly Stone are both out for the rest of the year with respective elbow and back injuries, while Moeen Ali recently retired from Test cricket. Along with the main Test squad led by Root, England will also name a separate Lions party next week that will offer a pool of reserves in the event of injury and also serve as warm-up opposition during the build-up period on tour. England’s Test specialists are due to fly to Australia at the start of November, with those involved in the T20 World Cup joining at the end of their campaign. The final of the tournament is on 14 November, meaning at least three weeks of red-ball preparation time for the likes of Buttler, Woakes, Wood, Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan. It is believed the majority of family members looking to join the tour will do so from the outset, with England’s players set to quarantine in a resort on Queensland’s Gold Coast. In line with protocols agreed by the Australian government, this setup will allow time outdoors for training rather than individuals being confined to their rooms for 14 days. Others looking to join before the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne will be allowed to undergo the more relaxed quarantine upon arrival in a designated resort in the Yarra Valley. While his availability remains unlikely, this second quarantine hub could provide an opportunity for Stokes to join the tour midway.