Alex Hartley left ‘shocked’ as England star ‘refuses interview’ after Ashes loss

Former England spinner Alex Hartley has claimed that Sophie Ecclestone refused a television interview after Heather Knight’s side suffered a heavy Ashes defeat to Australia.

The hosts retained the Women’s Ashes with victory in the first T20 in Sydney extending their lead in the multi-format series to an unassailable 8-0.

It extends England’s hunt for success in the contest to more than a decade, piling more pressure on coach Jon Lewis and captain Knight after a series of recent disappointments.

Hartley, who is working in Australia for TNT Sports and the BBC, was heavily critical of the set-up after their T20 World Cup semi-final defeat to the West Indies last year, suggesting that a handful of players were "letting the team down" with below par standards of fitness.

And the pundit, who was part of the side that won the 2017 World Cup under Knight’s captaincy, believes she is now being punished for those comments by sections of the squad, with left-arm spinner Ecclestone refusing to speak after defeat the SCG.

“Sophie Ecclestone refused to do a TV interview with me today," Hartley told the BBC's Test Match Special podcast. "I've been hung out to dry by 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. 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."

Hartley would later add on social media: “To be clear, there are some members of the England team who have been really disappointing, but by no means all. For some, friendships remain unchanged. For others, I've been shocked and surprised by their response.”

England have been short of their best throughout a series that Australia have so far dominated, with their respective efforts in the field a clear difference between the two sides.

Beth Mooney was dropped early in her innings in the first T20 before making what proved a match-winning 75, while there were again a number of misfields.

Lewis had issued a strong denial of the claim that England were unfit after the tournament exit last October, but Hartley believes she is perfectly entitled to express her opinion.

"I've upset them, clearly," she said. "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?"

England play the second T20 at the Manuka Oval in Canberra on Thursday needing to win all remaining fixtures to secure a squared series.