The England cricket team is continuing to cop a barrage of criticism as the players take an unusual mid-Ashes break.
Ahead of the third Test in Adelaide, England players have taken some time out to soak up the brilliant Queensland sun despite the fact they’re staring at a humiliating 0-2 scoreline from the first two Tests.
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Former players, commentators, England media and fans have all been piling on the tourists after their disaster at the Gabba was followed by the extraordinary Noosa getaway.
And on Wednesday, a game of beach soccer was as strenuous as it got for the players who had their sense of humour tested by a couple of local radio announcers.
7NEWS caught up with the pranksters who were dressed as cricketers and holding up amusing signs.
The local radio presenters in Noosa had some free advice for the England players. Credit: Seven
“For sale, moral victories” and “Bazballer anonymous free counselling,” the handmade signs — expressly created to torment the players — read.
“How did they handle the advice?” 7NEWS gun sports reporter Tom Wilson asked the local radio stars.
“I have to give it to them, they were pretty good sports,” they said.
“Stokesy did come over and took about 45 seconds to decide whether to shake my hand.
“I did think for a second Stokesy was going to punch us in the mouth.”
In fact, the players had plenty of time to pose for photos with fans at the beach on Wednesday.
The soccer fun involved playing keep-ups, and Jofra Archer even took a clean catch in the surf after the tourists let five chances go begging in Brisbane.
Archer — who was blasted by Channel 7 commentator Matthew Hayden for carrying a pillow to the Gabba — was sporting a designer bag from luxury label Goyard (which can retail from $3000-$5000) while showing off a ripped physique.
And Stokes, Archer and Brydon Carse were all seen riding the waves on a picturesque day as the mercury reached a balmy 28 degrees.
Injured fast bowler Mark Wood was also seen with the group despite his Ashes campaign coming to an end on Tuesday due to a knee injury.
Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey took a subtle swipe at the ailing English, saying, “I think it’d be a nice holiday”.
“We’re in a pretty lucky position that we’re playing professional sport, and people want to follow the journey,” he said.
“If the media likes to follow certain teams around, that’s totally up to them to do. We understand that comes with the privilege of playing the game.”
The timing of their holiday after back-to-back eight-wicket defeats in Perth and Brisbane has come under intense scrutiny from former England legends, including Ian Botham and Geoffrey Boycott.
“I don’t think I’d be going to Noosa,’’ former England great and Seven commentator David Lloyd told BBC Sport.
“I’m a bit old school, it’d be naughty boy nets. There are definite consequences to this. There always has been, there always will be. There will be consequences and those start with those in charge.”
Former Test captain Nasser Hussain had similar thoughts.
“I can’t understand England’s schedule for the week ahead,’’ he wrote in The Athletic.
“England will be going into the third Test without playing a single warm-up game against Australian opposition, and that is beyond me.
“Stokes is not the first captain to come to Australia and struggle — and he won’t be the last. History tells you it’s a hugely difficult place to win and this England team are finding that out themselves in the toughest way imaginable. Stokes and McCullum have tried a different way of doing things, but it’s just not paying off at the moment.’’
Meanwhile, it has emerged that a meeting between England and the Brisbane Lions (the AFL’s back-to-back premiers) has fallen by the wayside after the cricketers failed to show.
News Corp has reported the cricketers snubbed the Lions twice after an English firm set up the union.
After the plug was pulled on the original meeting, New Corp says officials from both teams met “via a video conference” and planned another meeting but that has also fallen through and now Brisbane are unsure where everything is at.
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