Alex Hartley: Former England spinner turned broadcaster says team have ‘hung me out to dry’ after fitness comments

January 21, 2025

The former spinner claimed current bowler Sophie Ecclestone refused a TV interview with her ahead of the first Women’s Ashes T20 on Monday.

Hartley, who won the World Cup with England back in 2017, came out and criticised England’s fitness back in October when they suffered an early exit in the T20 World Cup following a shock loss to West Indies in Dubai.

She said that some of the England players were “letting their team down” with their fitness

As England slumped to a defeat on Monday which handed Australia an unassailable 8-0 lead in the Women’s Ashes, Hartley said Ecclestone had refused to speak to her as the team continued to give her the “cold shoulder”.

“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 Test Match Special.

“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 believes that her comments on the side’s fitness have upset head coach Jon Lewis and the squad but insists that if it isn’t a general fitness problem among the squad, the issue must be the “athleticism of a few”.

“I’ve upset them, clearly,” she added.

“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?”