Men's Ashes tour given conditional green light

England's cricket bosses have given the go ahead for the Men's Ashes tour to Australia this summer.

The England and Wales Cricket Board issued a statement on Friday which signals that the marquee five-Test series should begin as scheduled in Brisbane on December 8.

Yet the ECB has only given the green light for the tour on the basis that "several critical conditions" still have to be met by their Australian hosts.

The COVID-19 restrictions in place in Australia had prompted concerns from some England players, yet a series of crisis meetings during the week appear to have appeased them and produced significant progress.

It now seems almost certain - though it remains unconfirmed - that England captain Joe Root, who last week refused to confirm he would tour, will be leading the Australia-bound squad.

"Over recent weeks we have made excellent progress in moving forward on the England Men's Ashes Tour," read the ECB statement.

"To facilitate further progress and allow a squad to be selected, the ECB Board has met today and given its approval for the tour to go ahead.

"This decision is subject to several critical conditions being met before we travel.

"We look forward to the ongoing assistance from Cricket Australia in resolving these matters in the coming days."

The ECB statement didn't elaborate on what the "critical conditions" were but the major sticking point for England seems to have been whether the squad's family members could join them in Australia over the festive period.

Reports have suggested they could be given the use of a Gold Coast resort in Queensland to quarantine before the first Test while their families, arriving for Christmas, could be accommodated at a resort in the Yarra Valley before the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

The green light for the tour has only come about after long-running negotiations between the two countries - even at the highest level.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson even raised the issue last month with Scott Morrison last month, while the Australian Prime Minister also reached out to captain Paine over the tour.

"I've had a little bit of contact with (Scott Morrison) but I have over my period as Test captain," Paine told his SEN Hobart radio show earlier on Friday.

"He always touches base to see how it's going.

"He was keen to find out what the sticking points might have been from a players' perspective."

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