Jonny was just not ready, says Russell

JACK Russell believes England’s prospects in the Ashes have been hit by poor preparation – and that Jonny Bairstow is paying a higher price than most.

- Richard Edwards

JACK Russell believes England’s prospects in the Ashes have been hit by poor preparation – and that Jonny Bairstow is paying a higher price than most.

The former Gloucestershire great, who made 54 Test appearances for England, made his debut in the ill-fated Ashes series of 1989 when an unfancied Australia destroyed the hosts 4-0 in a six Test series.

After a thrashing at Edgbaston in the opening Test of this series, the warning signs for England are at large once again but Russell believes that a lack of time to adapt to the demands of the Test game, after months of almost incessant white-ball cricket, has already handed a priceless advantage to Australia.

With a lack of red-ball cricket leaving Bairstow potentially exposed behind the stumps.

“I’m not criticising Jonny because I think he has improved massively as a wicketkeeper – but I believe the schedule is working against him and against England,” he says. “It’s something I find so frustrating.

“Keeping shouldn’t be a problem as long as you’ve done your preparation on turning pitches because in one-day cricket you don’t get the rough and the white ball does very little. But on a fifth day pitch in a Test match then there will be craters out there.