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England make player welfare 'main priority' for Ashes

Four months out from the Ashes the ECB has been locked in negotiations with the country's players' union with an agreement to put player welfare first

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will make player and staff welfare the "main priority" as it discusses provisional plans to visit Australia for the upcoming Vodafone Ashes series.

England players have raised concerns in recent weeks amid the uncertainty surrounding the ability for families to travel to Australia and the bio-security restrictions likely to be in place for the tour.

England allrounder Ben Stokes has taken an "indefinite break" from cricket to deal with mental health issues, and a finger injury, to put a spotlight on the effects of hotel quarantine and the tight bio-secure environments that cricketers now play under.

With England expected to have bilateral tours to Pakistan and Bangladesh ahead of the T20 World Cup and Ashes, the country's top multi-format players face the prospect of being apart from their families for four months, including over Christmas and New Year.

The ECB, in a joint statement with the Professional Cricketers' Association on Friday, said it had held meetings with the England team to discuss provisional plans for the five-Test series, which is scheduled to begin on December 8 in Brisbane.

"All parties are collaborating and will continue to work together to understand protocols around bubble environments, family provision and quarantine rules that will be in place for the tour during the current COVID-19 pandemic," the statement said.

"With player and management's welfare paramount, the ECB will discuss planning and operational requirements with Cricket Australia in the coming weeks and how they seek to implement their policies in partnership with state and federal governments.

"All stakeholders are committed to putting player and staff welfare as the main priority and finding the right solutions that enables the England team to compete with the best players and at the highest possible standard that the Ashes series deserves."

Cricket Australia spokesperson said planning was continuing in line with experiences from last summer, when India – along with several families of players – toured, playing T20 and Test cricket over the summer.

"With the Ashes four months away, we are currently planning the operational requirements of this tour and working with the ECB on the proposed make-up of the England touring party," the CA spokesperson said.

"As was the case last season, CA will work constructively and in partnership with government to deliver the summer of cricket, while ensuring the health, wellbeing and safety of the community."

Vodafone Men's Ashes v England

First Test: December 8-12, The Gabba

Second Test: December 16-20, Adelaide Oval

Third Test: December 26-30, MCG

Fourth Test: January 5-9, SCG

Fifth Test: January 14-18, Perth Stadium