Alex Hartley on England women’s team after her fitness comments: ‘Sophie Ecclestone refused to do a TV interview with me’ | Cricket News

While England women have lost the Ashes with the loss in the first T20I against Australia earlier this week, former England spinner Alex Hartley has claimed that the Heather Knight led England women’s team have refused interviews to her and she has been ‘hung out to dry’. Hartley, who played 28 ODIs and eight T20Is for England, is part of BBC and TNT Sports commentary team in Australia, had played along with some English cricketers including Sophie Ecclestone, whom she accused of refusing an interview with her. Last year, Hartely had criticised the England team post their loss against West Indies in the T20 World Cup terming ‘a handful of England players are letting the team down with below par standards of fitness’.
“Sophie Ecclestone refused to do a TV interview with me today. I’ve been hung out to dry the England team: none of them will talk to me on the boundary edge. The reason I said that they were not as fit 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 Ashes and World Cups,” Hartley told the BBC Test Match Special podcast after England’s loss.
Australia have taken an unassailable 8-0 lead in the 16-point Ashes winning the three ODI’s and the first T20I. England’s 57-run loss in the first T20I was the country’s second largest loss in terms of loss in the format. Post the World Cup defeat, England women’s team won the T20I series in South Africa 3-0 apart from winning the ODI series 2-1. Hartley shared that some of the England players have spoken to her but some players as well coaches have not ‘looked at her’. “I’m giving my opinion, and I’ve been given the cold shoulder from the England team ever since. Not all of them have given me the cold shoulder. I don’t want to say that they’ve all been the same, because they haven’t. Some of the players have been absolutely outstanding: I’ve spoken to them in the street, at the ground, wherever. But a few individuals – coaches, players – they literally haven’t looked at me,” said Hartley.,
England coach Jon Lewis and skipper Heather Knight had ruled out fitness problems with the team. During the three ODI’s in the Ashes, England team struggled on the field with some dropped catches as well errors on the field during the loss in every match in ODI format in Ashes. Hartley reiterated that England have struggled to match Australia’s ‘athleticism’ in the series.
“I’ve upset them, clearly. Jon Lewis has come out and said there isn’t a problem with fitness in his squad. There isn’t a problem with fitness in the England environment. They obviously think I’m completely wrong in my opinion. Which is fine, absolutely fine: I’m entitled to my opinions and they’re entitled to theirs. It’s my job to say if I see something that needs to be better, and I did, but the way that I’ve been treated since I think is totally unfair. But they will say that my comments were unfair, so if that’s the way our relationship is going to be moving forwards, then so be it. If fitness isn’t a problem, then it’s athleticism from a few, isn’t it?” said Hartley.

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