Hartley shocked at 'cold shoulder' from ex-England team-mates

Alex Hartley has been "shocked" astatine being fixed "the acold shoulder" by England players during the Women's Ashes due to the fact that of comments the erstwhile spinner made astir the team's fitness.

Hartley, who is moving arsenic a pundit for the BBC and different tv networks successful Australia, says she was refused a TV interrogation by erstwhile England team-mate Sophie Ecclestone during the first T20 crippled connected Monday.

The 31-year-old questioned the fittingness levels of immoderate of England's players past autumn pursuing their aboriginal exit from the T20 World Cup.

"I've been hung retired to dry," Hartley, who retired arsenic a subordinate successful 2023, told the BBC Test Match Special podcast.

"The crushed I said England aren't arsenic acceptable arsenic Australia is due to the fact that I privation them to compete, I privation them to beryllium amended and I privation them to win.

"But I've been fixed the acold enarthrosis ever since - not by everyone, but a fewer individuals, coaches and players. They haven't looked astatine me."

Defeat connected Monday was England's 4th from 4 games successful Australia, meaning they surrendered the Ashes astatine the earliest opportunity.

England again dropped catches, arsenic they did successful being knocked retired of past year's T20 World Cup astatine the hands of West Indies.

Following that exit, Hartley said: "About 80% of the England squad are acceptable and diversion enough, but determination are girls successful that broadside who are letting the squad down erstwhile it comes to fitness."

Coach Jon Lewis responded by saying helium did not judge that disapproval was fair, adding that "our players are precise fit".

"I'm amazed that radical would accidental that, actually," helium said. "Fitness was perfectly thing to bash with america losing that game."

"Clearly I person upset them," Hartley, who was England's second-highest wicket-taker successful their palmy 2017 World Cup campaign, said connected Monday.

"Jon Lewis has said determination isn't a occupation with fittingness successful his squad. They deliberation I americium wrong, which is good - I'm entitled to my opinions and they are entitled to theirs.

"It is my occupation to accidental thing that needs to beryllium amended and I did. The mode I person been treated since I deliberation has been wholly unfair."

The England and Wales Cricket Board was contacted by the BBC but did not privation to springiness a response.

Hartley wrote connected X connected Tuesday: "To beryllium clear, determination are immoderate members of the England squad who person been truly disappointing, but by nary means all.

"For some, friendships stay unchanged. For others, I've been shocked and amazed by their response."

Analysis - BBC cricket newsman Ffion Wynne successful Australia

The ambiance has been frosty towards Hartley from definite England players since the opening of this tour. This did not travel wholly retired of the blue.

She did not sanction immoderate players successful her archetypal comments astir fitness, but the contented has intelligibly caused upset among immoderate successful the camp.

We are inactive yet to perceive from manager Jon Lewis. His presumption was already going to travel nether superior scrutiny earlier this saga, fixed the quality of their mediocre performances.

Australia, meanwhile, volition beryllium lapping it up. The Australian nationalist has witnessed England teams unravel Down Under before, astir notably the men's broadside during the 2013-14 Ashes.

Their heaviest decision successful a multi-format women's Ashes is simply a 12-4 scoreline and we are expected to perceive from a subordinate of their enactment astatine a media league connected Wednesday.

The absorption volition anticipation to get a grip of the concern earlier it unravels further.