'England should respect those views': Michael Vaughan's pointed message for Ben Stokes after 'has-beens' insult

Michael Vaughan said Ben Stokes and his team "should respect" the views of legendary England players, hitting out at the skipper after he labelled stars of yesteryear "has-beens".

Stokes on Wednesday took a swipe at English greats of the past in a staunch defence of his team's preparation for the Ashes series, beginning in Perth next Friday.

England's decision to only warm up for the Ashes with a three-day match against the England Lions — effectively the country's development team — had been described by Vaughan, a former national captain, as a "huge risk".

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Ian Botham, the country's greatest-ever all-rounder, had said it "borders on arrogance".

In a column for the UK Telegraph, Vaughan wrote "the truth is we cannot judge" England's preparation until the series has been decided.

"Supporters have to trust that England know what they are doing and that this method will bring results, even if it is anathema to many," Vaughan wrote.

Vaughan, who captained England to victory in the epic 2005 Ashes series, then took aim.

"Equally, England have to accept that there will be scrutiny," he wrote.

"Just because the 'has-beens' have a different view does not mean these are not valid comments.

"England should respect those views.

"They are coming from legends of the game who cannot play any more because they are too old, but that does not mean they do not desperately want England to win! All the former players and media I have spoken to want England to win this series. They are saying these things because they are concerned, and see the risk."

England's three-day match against the England Lions, taking place at Lilac Hill Park on Perth's Swan River, begins on Thursday.

Australia has taken a much more traditional approach to its preparation for the Perth Test, with 14 of the 15 squad players featuring in the ongoing round of the Sheffield Shield.

Veteran opener Usman Khawaja, who's dealing with a minor adductor strain, is the only player not in action in this Shield round.

Fast bowlers Josh Hazlewood and Sean Abbott sent a massive scare through the Australian camp when they were sidelined at the SCG on Wednesday, with the former cleared to play in Perth after reporting hamstring tightness as Abbott, a back-up Test quick, was ruled out of the Ashes opener having suffered a hamstring strain.

"Cricket has changed so much," Stokes said in an interview with the BBC.

"Preparation is nowhere near as simple as it used to be. You could come out on a tour two months before the first game started.'

"We've been preparing for this tour not over the last three weeks, but putting a lot of thought and process into this for a few years now.

"I don't know what else we're expected to be able to do.

"There are quite a few factors that go into why we can't prepare how the has-beens maybe prepared in the past. It's all changed.

"We're very comfortable with how we prepare because we leave no stone unturned."

English batting great Graham Gooch had also criticised the team's preparation, describing it as "glorified practice".

But Stokes said the next three days would be "balls to the wall".

"Everyone has been preparing for this series for a long time now," the skipper said.

"So, come the 21st [next Friday], we will be good."