"It is right to clear the brain": Atherton backs England over Noosa trip ahead of Adelaide Ashes Test

Adelaide [Australia], December 11 (ANI): The former England cricketer Michael Atherton defended the Ben Stokes-led team for their trip to Noosa in Queensland despite being 2-0 in the ongoing Ashes series. Atherton said the England team can't be expected to hide away, as per Sky Sports.

England have been well beaten in the opening two Ashes Tests and now head into a must-win match in Adelaide, starting Wednesday, December 17.

Before heading to Adelaide, the team and support staff took a pre-scheduled trip to Noosa in on Tuesday afternoon--a break arranged prior to the series, with no cricket training planned--before flying out to Adelaide on Saturday.

England are then scheduled to train on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday before the third Test begins on Wednesday at the Adelaide Oval

Atherton told the Sky Sports Cricket podcast that criticism of England's Noosa trip was inevitable given they're 2-0 down, but defended the players, saying they can't just hide away.

"There's been predictably a bit of flak flying around, the local media have sent people there. I mean, it's inevitable if you're 2-0 down you're going to get stick. But what are they supposed to do? Sit in a darkened room and eat bread and water? I saw Ben Stokes, he posed for some photographs, didn't he? And I thought, good on you, actually. You've got to be able to laugh at yourself," Atherton said.

He said the team were taking some time to rest and would refocus by Sunday, stressing that England's main problem so far has been poor decision-making and game awareness. Atherton argued that their mindset--not their skills--has let them down, and that a mental reset is important to avoid carrying negative baggage into the next Test.

"They've gone for some R&R and then they're going to be switched on again come Sunday. We have all said that the major problem in the two games has been about their thinking. Understanding situations, times when to defend, when to attack and so it's that top bit of your body, the brain, that is what has let them down. So I think it is right to clear the brain. Not come to the next venue, sit there, train every single day and that mental scaring and baggage stays with you. They have to clear the brain," Atherton said, as quoted by Sky Sports. (ANI)

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