PERTH, Australia, Dec 1 (AFP) - England's vanquished cricketers have been given a two-day holiday immediately after being thrashed by Australia by seven wickets in the second Ashes Test here Monday.
Team manager Graham Gooch defended the decision Tuesday, saying even though England were 0-1 down in the five-match battle for the Ashes, his players needed a break before the third Test starts in Adelaide, South Australia, Friday week.
"It serves no great purpose to put them through the mill every day, because all you get in the end is mediocrity," the former England captain said.
"This is a chance to give them a break for a day or so. There are some guys who always want to practise anyway, and some will go down to the WACA Ground independently. The coaching staff will attend as well."
But there will be no compulsory practice on Tuesday and Wednesday before the squad flies to Melbourne Thursday to prepare for a four-day match against Victoria starting Saturday.
Australian observers were astonished that a team outplayed in the first Test in Brisbane, and saved only by rain, and beaten so badly in Perth could be allowed the luxury of two free days after revealing massive deficiences in the opening two matches of the series.
The England batting, with a few exceptions, has been woeful, and at least 10 crucial match-costing catches have gone to ground.
Gooch, one of the elder statesmen of English cricket, said: "The guys have just finished a Test match, okay. Tuesday and Wednesday are essentially days off. After flying to Melbourne Thursday, we will have a full-on session there Friday before the Victoria game. You have to balance the thing out."
One England player to visit the nets voluntarily Tuesday was batsman Graeme Hick, top scorer of the Perth Test, with a second innings 68.
He went after being told he had been added to the England squad, now numbering 18, because of lingering concerns about Graham Thorpe's injured back.
Hick, omitted from the original touring party, was rushed here early in the tour after opening batsman Mike Atherton had a recurrence of his back trouble.
Atherton recovered before Thorpe was stricken with a similar injury.
Lamenting England's sub-standard fielding, Gooch agreed that catches had to be held at Test level.
"You have to hold on to every chance and take the hard ones as well," he said. "We have to work hard in that department because every chance we create we have to take. We cannot afford to let quality players like the Australians have a second chance."