Former England cricketer and TV pundit Alex Hartley says she is “hung out to dry” by the current England squad after she questioned their fitness levels.
The former spinner claimed current player Sophie Ecclestone refused a TV interview with her ahead of the first Ashes Women’s T20 on Monday.
Hartley, who won the World Cup with England in 2017, came out and criticized England’s ability in October when they suffered an early exit from the T20 World Cup after a shock defeat to West Indies in Dubai.
She said some of England’s players were “letting their team down” with their ability
As England slumped to a defeat on Monday that handed Australia an unassailable 8-0 lead in the Women’s Ashes, Hartley said Ecclestone had refused to speak to her as the team continued to give her the “cold shoulder”.
“I’ve been hung out to dry by the England team: none of them will talk to me on the touchline,” Hartley told him. BBC Test Match Special.
“The reason I said they weren’t as good as Australia is because I want them to compete with Australia, I want them to be better than Australia and I want them to win the Ashes and World Cups. I’m giving my opinion and since then I have been given the cold shoulder by the England team.
“Not all of them have given me the cold shoulder. I don’t want to say they’ve all been the same, because they haven’t. Some of the players have been absolutely outstanding: I’ve spoken to them on the road, on the ground , everywhere, but some individuals – coaches, players – literally haven’t seen me.
Hartley believes her comments about the squad’s fitness have upset manager Jon Lewis and the squad, but insists that unless it is a general fitness issue among the squad, the issue must be the “athleticism of some”.
“I’ve upset them, obviously,” she added.
“Jon Lewis has come out and said there’s no fitness problem in his squad, there’s no fitness problem in the England environment. They obviously think I’m completely wrong in my opinion – which is fine, absolutely. .well, I’m entitled to my opinions, and they’re entitled to theirs.
“It’s my job to say if I see something that should be better, and I’ve done it, but the way I’ve been treated since I think it’s completely unfair. But they’re going to say my comments were unfair, so if that’s how our relationship is going to move forward, then so be it… If fitness isn’t an issue, then it’s athleticism by some, right?”
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