Ben Stokes has been called a “cocky complainer” by Australian media as the England captain arrived in Perth ahead of the first Ashes Test.
A picture of Stokes pushing a trolley laden with luggage at the airport was accompanied by the headline ‘Baz Bawl’ on the front page of the West Australian newspaper.
“England’s Cocky Captain Complainer, still smarting from ‘crease-gate’ lands in Perth early thinking dopey ‘BazBall’ can take the Ashes,” read the sub-head in reference to an incident in the last series when Jonny Bairstow was controversially stumped.
The article went on to criticise England’s tactics under Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, dubbing it “carefree and careless thrash batting”.
Australia have named their squad for the first Test in Perth, which begins on November 21, with Marnus Labuschagne recalled, injured skipper Pat Cummins missing out, and three uncapped players – Jake Weatherald, Sean Abbott and Brendan Doggett – called up.
Atherton: A stone-cold classic
Sky Sports’ Michael Atherton called the headline a “stone-cold classic” but was adamant the England players and their skipper will be expecting this kind of treatment and will also be prepared for it.
“That was a stone-cold classic of a headline from the Western Australian,” former England captain Atherton told Sky Sports News.
“I love the fact that it started with ‘New Zealand-born Ben Stokes and all the classic attack lines were in that piece.
“It’s knockabout stuff. Every England team or captain gets it when you get over there, but there is something about Bazball that seems to get under the Australian skin.
“Stuart Broad bore the brunt of it in the Brisbane Courier Mail when they refused to put his image on the pages of the newspaper.
“So it’s all par for the course and good fun. England will just have to prove themselves.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
England coach Tim Southee believes there’s never been a bad Australian cricket team, but concedes they are going through a challenging time
Former England paceman Stuart Broad spiced up the Ashes war of words by hitting back at ex-Australia opener David Warner after he launched an early sledge at the tourists in October.
Broad declared the Baggy Greens as the “worst” team he’s seen in over a decade.
“To do well in Australia, you have to have cricketers of a certain character because it is a tough tour for all kinds of reasons,” added Atherton.
“The cricket is tough but so is everything that goes around it. It’s a very high-profile, intense series, and you need cricketers who are going to stand up and are full of character.
“Stokes is obviously one of those we’ve seen that throughout his career, Broad was the same cricketer who did well down there.
“From memory, the last time Stokes was in Australia, the Western Australia had one of him in nappies spitting a dummy out at one stage.
“It’s all a bit of good fun and par for the course, and it’s not something that will unduly worry any of the travelling England cricketers.
“They’ll know and be expecting it. It will also boil down to what happens on the pitch ultimately.”
Australia’s First Ashes Test squad: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster.
England’s history with the Aussie papers
The Ashes are known for its iconic history and legendary rivalry, but the tradition beyond the field that just doesn’t seem to disappear is the unique approach Australian media take to covering the English side.
Infamously in 2013, Brisbane papers refused to name Stuart Broad, instead dubbing him a ‘smug pommie cheat’ and referring to him as a ’27-year old medium-pace bowler’ after he refused to walk in the Trent Bridge Test earlier the same year.
Stokes was also a prime target in 2023, after Bairstow’s run out controversy that prompted the England captain to say that he wouldn’t want to win in the manner Australia did.
He was photoshopped as a baby in a nappy, sucking a dummy reaching for a cricket ball with the caption ‘cry babies’ to which Stokes responded: ‘That’s definitely not me, since when did I bowl with the new ball.’
Ashes series in Australia 2025-26
All times UK and Ireland
- First Test: Friday November 21 – Tuesday November 25 (2.30am) – Optus Stadium, Perth
- Second Test (day/night): Thursday December 4 – Monday December 8 (4.30am) – The Gabba, Brisbane
- Third Test: Wednesday December 17 – Sunday December 21 (12am) – Adelaide Oval
- Fourth Test: Thursday December 25 – Monday December 29 (11.30pm) – Melbourne Cricket Ground
- Fifth Test: Sunday January 4 – Thursday January 8 (11.30pm) – Sydney Cricket Ground
