New Delhi, Nov. 13 -- Skipper Ben Stokes has defended England's lack of warm-up matches ahead of the first Ashes cricket test against Australia in Perth beginning Nov. 21.

England is aiming to break a 14-year winless run in Australia. Stokes and fellow veteran Joe Root have never won a test match in Australia, and there's no survivors in this squad from England's 2010-11 series win.

Australia has won 5-0, 4-0, and 4-0 the last three times England has traveled Down Under for the most anticipated series in world cricket.

England's only preparation in Australia for this series is a three-day match against the England Lions, essentially an England A team, starting on Thursday at Lilac Hill.

That decision has drawn criticism from Ashes gre...