The Ashes: England's Jos Buttler says team that deals best with distractions in Australia will win series

England wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler has joined his team-mates in camp, following a period of quarantine on the Gold Coast after the T20 World Cup; tourists have been limited in their red-ball match practice by weather ahead of first Test in Brisbane on December 8

Jos Buttler admits preparations ahead of England's first Ashes Test against Australia in Brisbane have been far from ideal but that should not prevent his side from performing to their best.

Jos Buttler believes the team which best deals with the disrupted preparations and distractions around the Ashes will win the upcoming series.

England have been limited in their red-ball match practice for the Ashes, with day one of the side's second planned warm-up match against England Lions abandoned due to consistent rain in Queensland.

Meanwhile, Australia are recovering from the shock resignation of former captain Tim Paine, with the first of the five-Test series due to begin in Brisbane on December 8.

Image: Jos Buttler is preparing for his first taste of Ashes cricket in Australia

"Around the Ashes, there's always certain things going on and the guys that can deal with the distractions an Ashes series throws up ... is the team that's going to play best," Buttler said.

The wicketkeeper-batsman has joined his England team-mates in camp, following a period of quarantine on the Gold Coast after the T20 World Cup.

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Buttler would not be drawn on hypothetical situations involving the possible moving of the fifth Test in Perth as Australia contends with the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant.

Jos Buttler says it is too early to worry about the potential impact the Omicron coronavirus variant could have on England's Ashes series, including restrictions on the movements of the players' families.

"I find it tiring to talk about it when you don't know," Buttler said in response to a query about the match potentially shifting to Tasmania.

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"That's not for me to worry about at the minute. There's a week to go until the first Test here and all our energies are focused on that."

England's first warm-up match against a Lions side was called off due to rain with only 29 overs played and the rematch at Ian Healy Oval appeared unlikely to progress as rain was forecast to continue throughout Wednesday and Thursday.

Buttler aims to embrace Ashes challenge in Australia

Ahead of his first taste of Ashes cricket in Australia, Buttler, 31, is eager to bring a "fearless approach" in a bid to perform at his best.

"I feel like I have nothing to lose, to be honest," he said, having scored only 72 runs in five innings during the home summer Test series against India.

"It's sort of been disjointed, that [year] just gone. Some good form and some bad form and in the year before as well.

"It's the first time I'm experiencing an Ashes series [in Australia] so I'm fully determined to enjoy all the challenges that throw up. I'm excited to experience it, the good the bad, and I'm sure the highs and lows along the way.

"As a player at the minute I'm trying to bring a fearless approach and to truly try and embrace the opportunity. I know when I get to somewhere near my best that's going to be pretty good."

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