Follow UsEngland's former World Cup-winning spinner who now works as a broadcaster, Alex Hartley, said some of the current England players have "given the cold shoulder" to her after she criticised their fitness during the last T20 World Cup. England Women lost to West Indies in the group stage and failed to qualify for the knockouts.
England are currently involved in a multi-format Ashes series and are having a rough time against Australia. They were clean swept 3-0 in the ODI series and have now also lost the first T20I, helping Australia retain the Ashes once again. Hartley later revealed that she wanted to interview Sophie Ecclestone but the left-arm spinner “refused” her request.
"Sophie Ecclestone refused to do a TV interview with me today. I've been hung out to dry by the England team: none of them will talk to me on the boundary edge,” Hartley told the BBC's TMS podcast.
"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."
England have struggled in the fielding department for a while now. Even in the ongoing Ashes series, England have failed to match the “athleticism” of Australian players. "I've upset them, clearly," said Hartley.
“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 forward, then so be it… If fitness isn't a problem, then it's athleticism from a few, isn't it?"