Australia and England players will be able to enjoy relative freedom to dine outside, play golf and go to the beach during much of the Ashes series but face tighter restrictions for the final stage of the tour in Perth.
The ECB announced their squad overnight after reaching a conditional agreement with England players and Cricket Australia about conditions for the tour after concerns several players would withdraw from the tour if quarantine and bio-security conditions were too restrictive.
Chief Executive Nick Hockley said CA are “desperate” to stage the fifth Test in Perth, although Western Australia’s strict hard border, which may still be in place by the scheduled start of the Test on January 14, poses a significant hurdle.
Negotiations are ongoing with the WA government about what restrictions might be in place for the final week of the tour, which would essentially see players fly in for two training days and the five days of the Test.
But Hockley confirmed there were no plans to implement a travelling biosecurity bubble for the first four Tests.
“A lot of it is about about common sense, of making sure that everyone's socially distancing and keeping safe,” Hockley said.
“As it relates to Perth, we would desperately like to play the fifth Test in Perth, it's absolutely our intention to do so.
“In January there's been a whole winter, they have a further experience of playing elite sport at Perth Stadium in bio secure conditions.
“We've got strong relationships and we're working through the details of what that that might look like as we speak but it's really important for that fifth Test that we keep the community safe but it's also really important that we're giving both squads, match officials, broadcaster operatives, that we're giving them a great experience and we're placing their wellbeing front of mind.”
The ECB announced on Friday that, if remaining conditions are met, the Test specialists and a Lions squad will depart for Queensland on November 4, where they will quarantine for two weeks in resort-style accommodation on the Gold Coast, with special arrangements made for training.
Family members will be allowed to accompany the players and a second property has been secured in Victoria for additional families to join the tour before Christmas.
Players from both sides will converge in Queensland at the end of their respective T20 World Cup campaigns and Hockley is confident the series will start in Brisbane, despite recent small Covid-19 outbreaks that led to increased public restrictions in southeast Queensland.
“I don't believe so,” said Hockley when asked if the Gabba Test was in any danger of being moved. “I think our protocols are designed to make sure that both touring teams coming back from the T20 World Cup, and the England touring party coming safely into Australia, that they're given optimal conditions to train and prepare during that 14-day quarantine period.
“And then we have our standard protocols in place to ensure that everyone's kept safe."
