Broad calls for Ashes ‘compromise’ and says Australian Government holds the key

England fast bowler Stuart Broad has called on the Australian Government to make allowances to ensure the Ashes goes ahead this winter.

Australia's strict quarantine rules have put the tour in doubt, with current laws meaning family members would have to isolate in a hotel room for 14 days if they wanted to travel out to support.

As a result, a number of England players have reportedly threatened to withdraw, leading to crisis talks between the ECB and Cricket Australia.

And Broad, who is set to miss the remainder of the current England v India series with a calf strain, has said the Ashes is "too valuable for a deal not to be struck."

The first test is due to begin in Brisbane on December 8th and Broad added: "I believe the ECB will do everything in their power to get the Ashes on this winter, but I think the Australian Government is key.

"While we haver to be realistic as players – if there are 40,000 Australians that can't get back in the country, we can't expect to avoid quarantine and live completely freely – there has to be a balance struck.

"Things need to be in place for England to have the chance to perform at the highest level."

The 35-year-old, now a veteran of three tours down under, added that he understood the concerns of players with young families.

"If I had kids, I think it would be tough for them to spend 14 days in a hotel room quarantining. Equally, I wouldn't want to go without seeing them for several months either.

"The Ashes is too valuable to Australia as a country, let alone Cricket Australia, for a compromise not to be struck."

Last week Tom Harrison, Chief Executive of the ECB, said the players were "in no way asking for anything unreasonable," and voiced concerns that the integrity of the series could be compromised.

The series will be the culmination of a frantic 12 months for England's players across all three formats.

The T20 World Cup in UAE and Oman runs from October 17th to November 14th and if Eoin Morgan's side were to reach the final, any players also involved in the Ashes squad would have just over three weeks before that Brisbane test, of which 14 days would have to be spent in quarantine.

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