Media will not stop us enjoying Australia - Stokes

Captain Ben Stokes says his England team will not stop enjoying being in Australia despite the scrutiny following them on the Ashes tour.

Local media pictured England players, including Stokes, riding public scooters without wearing helmets in the run-up to the second Test in Brisbane - an offence punishable by a fine under Queensland law.

The latest reports come after England were placed under intense scrutiny during their time in Perth for the first Test. Players were followed through the airport, on golf courses and on a trip to an aquarium.

"If they think it is going to stop us enjoying this country when we have time off then it is not going to do that," said Stokes.

"Australia is the best country to tour away from cricket. There are so many things to do. You can go out and about and see things that only Australia has to offer, great golf courses, coffee shops and easy places to have lunch."

Stokes added being able to "free your mind" and "enjoy yourself" is "one of the most important things" for players when under pressure on tour.

"We are human," he said. "We need to enjoy countries when we get the opportunity because we live in England where it is miserable, freezing cold and dark at 4pm."

In the aftermath of a crushing defeat in Perth, the first two-day Ashes Test for 104 years, England came under fire for their approach on the field, activities off it and decision not to send any of their first-Test XI to play in an England Lions game in Canberra.

Former Australia pace bowler Mitchell Johnson called England "arrogant", to which Stokes responded: "I'd rather words like 'rubbish'. 'Arrogant', I'm not too sure about that."

All-rounder Stokes is one of the most high-profile cricketers in the world. The 34-year-old experienced extreme media scrutiny in 2017 when he was charged with affray following an incident outside a Bristol nightclub.

Stokes was ultimately cleared, but missed the 2017-18 Ashes tour as a result.

Some of England's players are in their first Ashes series and on their first tour of Australia.

"Before we got out here those conversations happened as a group," said Stokes. "It is not unexpected.

"We felt it when we got here. There were cameras in front of the hotel from 8am, following us on the golf course and even when we went out for some lunch.

"I've been at the very, very bad end of the media. I get it.

"No-one is doing anything wrong with what's been filmed or photographed. It's making sure lads are getting that enjoyment element of touring such a great country like Australia."

England's previous Ashes tour in 2021-22 took place under Covid restrictions, meaning players were limited in what they could do away from cricket.

On Wednesday, England batter Ollie Pope said: "Locking your doors and not coming out of your room is the unhealthy thing to do, as we saw in Covid times."

Australia fast bowler Scott Boland added: "I'm a pretty private person. I like being able to go home when I can and not have a camera in my face all the time."

Asked whether the media attention is good for the game or crosses a line, Stokes replied: "A bit of both. My sponsors will be happy because I seem to be in the press every four days.

"It will probably continue throughout the rest of the tour. I don't see anything wrong with going out and spending your time off on a golf course or having coffee or lunch, riding on a scooter.

"It's fine. If they want to keep doing it, they are all polite and don't intrude on our personal space. We have a job to do, they have a job to do."

England will attempt to level the Ashes series in a day-night Test at the Gabba - a ground where they have not won since 1986 - beginning on Thursday.

The tourists have named all-rounder Will Jacks in their team as a replacement for injured fast bowler Mark Wood, while Australia are without opener Usman Khawaja, who has failed to recover from back spasms.

Regardless of the result of the second Test, England will take a break on the Sunshine Coast before the third Test in Adelaide begins on 17 December (23:30 GMT 16 December).

And Stokes said his team will not be creating a siege mentality as extra motivation for winning back the urn.

"That could be quite a dangerous place to get your mind at," said the skipper.

"The reason why we go out there is to beat Australia. If you're taking emotion in because you feel like you're playing against the whole world, it's taking your mind away from why you are actually out on that field.

"I guess that's my mindset towards everything. Why do I train? Why do we choose to do things? If there's actually a reason that's for the benefit of what you're doing, as opposed to external reasons, then that's all good.

"I would never say use the motivation of all the scrutiny that's coming our way because you're then worrying about the things that don't matter."

Intense media scrutiny on England in Australia is nothing new.

Stokes was speaking in the same Brisbane hotel where eight years ago director of cricket Andrew Strauss said England were not "thugs" after local media whipped up the headbutt controversy between Jonny Bairstow and Cameron Bancroft.

Australia players face unwanted attention, too. Just this week, Cricket Australia asked local outlets not to 'doorstep' players at airports.

Clearly, there is a difference in the tone of the coverage of the two teams, and a lot of negativity follows England - not helped by their results and performances on the field, or the 'Bazball' mantra that seems to irk the Aussies.

No-one can expect England - or any touring team - to be training all day, every day. It is healthy and perfectly normal for players to spend their free time away from cricket.

Lots of England players play golf, but plenty of others - Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Jamie Smith and Shoaib Bashir - do not.

Australian players play golf. Usman Khawaja was criticised for doing so before the Perth Test. The Aussies also have the benefit of being able to go home between Tests.

The attention following England has felt over the top, and allegations of arrogance were unwarranted. Still, it has been pointed out Alex Carey came in for some pretty strong coverage in the aftermath of the Bairstow stumping at Lord's two years ago.

Ultimately, the only way England can change their coverage in the Australian media is by winning. They haven't done that in this country for almost 15 years.