PERTH: England cricket captain Ben Stokes has defended his side’s lack of warm-up matches as the team prepares for the first Ashes test against Australia in Perth beginning Nov. 21.
England is looking to break a 14-year winless run in Australia. Stokes and fellow veteran batter Joe Root have never won a test in Australia, with no survivors left from the 2010-11 series win.
Australia has won 5-0, 4-0, and 4-0 the last three times England has traveled Down Under for the most anticipated series in world cricket.
England’s only preparation for the first test is a three-day match against the England Lions, essentially an England A team, starting on Thursday at Lilac Hill in Perth.
That decision has drawn criticism from Ashes greats on both sides such as Ian Healy, Ian Botham and Geoffrey Boycott.
But Stokes believes England’s preparation will be more than sufficient to win a test in Australia for the first time since it last won an away Ashes series.
“There’s obviously state (domestic first-class) cricket going on at the moment,” Stokes said Wednesday. “Time has got to be taken into consideration as well. Some of our squad members were playing the (white-ball) series in New Zealand.”
Most of Australia’s Ashes test players are tuning up in those same first-class matches this week and early next.
Stokes also said cricket’s “jam-packed” schedule makes it more difficult to prepare than “10, 15, 20, 30 years ago.”
“We put a lot of time and effort into how we prepare for every series, and that hasn’t changed with this one,’ Stokes added. “Come the 21st of this month, we know that we would have done everything possible that we could have done.”
Root has not scored a century in 14 tests in Australia.
“He’s the greatest English batter that the nation’s seen,” Stokes said. “He’s been a phenomenal form over the last two, three years. He’s not come out here to score a 100 in Australia, he’s come out here to contribute to the team.”
Stokes said his team should not be overwhelmed playing in Australia.
“Coming to Australia for the Ashes is a lot different than anything else when you’re playing,” he said. “There’s a lot more that goes on away from the cricket itself.”
The Perth test will be followed by four more in Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.
England cricket captain Ben Stokes defends his team’s lack of matches ahead of the Ashes
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England cricket captain Ben Stokes defends his team’s lack of matches ahead of the Ashes
- England cricket captain Ben Stokes has defended his side’s lack of warm-up matches as the team prepares for the first Ashes test against Australia in Perth beginning Nov. 21
- England is looking to break a 14-year winless run in Australia. Stokes and fellow veteran batter Joe Root have never won a test in Australia
Nemkov and Cyborg crowned PFL world champions in Lyon
- Rising stars of MMA on show at landmark event that highlights sport’s global ambitions
- Brazilian veteran Cyborg cements status as one of the greatest fighters in women’s MMA history
LYON: Two new Professional Fighters League world champions were crowned on Saturday night as Vadim Nemkov and Cris Cyborg headlined a landmark PFL Lyon event at the LDLC Arena, which also saw the emergence of Europe’s next wave of MMA talent.
Russia’s Nemkov closed out his 2025 campaign in emphatic fashion, becoming the inaugural PFL Heavyweight World Champion with a first-round submission victory over Brazil’s Renan Ferreira. Nemkov (20-2) secured an arm-triangle choke at the four-minute mark of the opening round, neutralizing the size and power of the Brazilian to firmly establish himself at the top of the heavyweight division heading into 2026.
In the co-main event, Cyborg added another accolade to her decorated career by capturing the PFL Women’s Featherweight World Championship. The Brazilian veteran (29-2, 1 NC) defeated previously unbeaten Sara Collins (6-1) via rear-naked choke in the third round, further cementing her status as one of the greatest fighters in women’s MMA history. Cyborg later indicated that she intends to have one final MMA bout before calling time on her career.
The Lyon crowd was treated to a series of standout performances beyond the title fights. Belgian prospect Patrick Habirora continued his rapid rise with a first-round knockout of Kevin Jousset, preserving his perfect professional record at 8-0. Habirora’s explosive finish sent the arena into celebration and underlined his growing reputation as one of Europe’s most promising young fighters.
France’s Taylor Lapilus delivered a composed and technically polished display to earn a unanimous decision victory over England’s Liam Gittins. Lapilus (23-4) controlled the contest over three rounds, reinforcing his credentials as a leading contender in the PFL bantamweight division.
Two PFL Europe titles were also decided on the night. Aleksandr Chizov claimed the 2025 PFL Europe Lightweight Tournament Championship after stopping Connor Hughes with a third-round knockout, capping a consistent campaign marked by resilience and adaptability. Meanwhile, French bantamweight Baris Adiguzel captured the 2025 PFL Europe Bantamweight Tournament Championship with a first-round TKO victory over Dean Garnett, imposing his aggressive style from the opening bell.
With four champions crowned and several rising stars making statements on a major stage, PFL Lyon marked a significant moment for the organization’s global and European ambitions.
Full results:
Vadim Nemkov def. Renan Ferreira by first-round submission (arm-triangle choke, 4:00)
Cris Cyborg def. Sara Collins by third-round submission (rear-naked choke, 2:55)
Patrick Habirora def. Kevin Jousset by first-round KO (2:42)
Taylor Lapilus def. Liam Gittins by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Baris Adiguzel def. Dean Garnett by first-round TKO (0:44)
Boris Atangana def. Guilherme Soares by second-round submission (rear-naked choke, 2:35)
Aleksandr Chizov def. Connor Hughes by third-round KO (0:50)
Gustavo Oliveira def. Movsar Ibragimov by second-round KO (0:34)
Sabrina de Sousa def. Paulina Wisniewska by split decision
Rayan Balbali def. Levi Batchelor by split decision
