England legends and their current crop of Ashes stars are engaged in a war of words with captain Ben Stokes urged to “show some respects” to the “has-beens” he took aim at in Perth.

In the first of his media requirements since arriving in Australia, Stokes was asked about the teams’ apparent skinny preparations when it comes to match play ahead of next week’s opening Test at Optus Stadium.

England will play just one match – against their Lions – before playing Australia.

A number of England greats – including Michael Vaughan, Ian Botham and Geoffrey Boycott – criticised the lack of match action, suggesting it may come back to bite the England side.

“There’s quite a few factors that play into the whole of why we can’t prepare how the has-beens maybe prepared in the past,” Stokes said on Wednesday.

“Cricket’s changed so much and preparation is nowhere near as simple as it used to be. You used to be able to come out on a tour a month-and-a-half, two months before the first game started. Now there’s so much cricket packed into the schedule it’s impossible to do it how it used to be done.”

Being labelled a “has-been” didn’t sit well with Vaughan who returned serve to Stokes in his Telegraph column.

“The truth is we cannot judge how they have prepared until January 8,” Vaughan wrote. “We cannot judge it after this week’s intra-squad three-day warm-up, which they say will be “balls to the wall”. We cannot even judge it after the crucial first Test. We can only truly know if it has worked when the series is over, and whether Ben Stokes has the urn in his hands.

“Supporters have to trust that England know what they are doing and that this method will bring results, even if it is anathema to many.

“Equally, England have to accept that there will be scrutiny. Just because the “has-beens” have a different view does not mean these are not valid comments. England should respect those views.

“They are coming from legends of the game who cannot play any more because they are too old, but that does not mean they do not desperately want England to win!

"All the former players and media I have spoken to want England to win this series. They are saying these things because they are concerned, and see the risk.”

WHAT THE OTHERS SAID

Boycott and Botham criticised the strategy, claiming that back in their day, far more focus would have been put on pre-Test match experience.

“It’s not the way I would prepare,” Botham said on the Old Boys, New Balls Podcast.

“I think historically, you have to acclimatise when you come down here and you have to remember there’s 24.5 million people you’re playing against, not 11.

“I’m worried. We’re going to wander in and have a little game with the ‘A’ team.

“Not one (state match), which borders on arrogance. You’ve got to give yourself the chance. They are saying we play too much cricket. I don’t think you play enough.

“The conditions are different when you play cricket in Australia: the sun, the heat, the bounce, the crowd, the Aussie players, you’ve got to get used to all that. You’re not playing against the Australian cricket team, you’re playing against Australia – 24.5 million people.”

Ashes are there for the taking and England have no excuses

Boycott is not one for the quick preparations either saying England will have no on to blame but themselves if the Ashes does not go their way.

“England’s preparation has been madness,” Boycott wrote in a column for the UK Telegraph.

“If they win in Australia it will be in spite of their lack of match practice, not because of it. Match practice would give them a better chance.

“I played in two Ashes-winning teams in Australia and I believe you need to be put under pressure so you can fine-tune your skills.

“Fierce, competitive matches are the best preparation for the tough Test cricket to come. This modern-day preparation borders on foolish to players of my generation.”

Broad defends short prep

While some have criticised the lead up to the opening Test at Optus Stadium, Stuart Broad offered the following explanation:

“I trust Rob Key and Brendon McCullum. England have started series incredibly well in recent times.

“They have won the first Test with good consistency lately and with little preparation.

“Times have changed. I understand ex-players saying it’s not enough preparation but the time frame of fitting things in is difficult. England just had an ODI series in NZ.

“If they came to Aus and wanted a competitive match here there’s Sheffield Shield this week, so you’re not dragging players out of that to play England when they’re playing for their spot in the XI.

“The time frame of being able to get quality hard cricket in Australia is difficult, so England have taken it into their own hands and flown Lions players out to play against them.

“Those young players are giving it everything to impress, England can control this too.

“If you play a state game Archer could bowl all day, in this case they can control what their players are doing.”