More Than The Score

How should elite teams prepare for a major sporting event?


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England's men's cricketers preparation has been heavily criticised for their Ashes tour of Australia. Captain Ben Stokes and his side played just one warm-up match against their own reserve team ahead of the first Test. They subsequently suffered a crushing eight wicket defeat inside just two days.

They've now opted against sending any of the team who played in Perth to play a warm-up game in Canberra. The match in the Australian capital is a day-night, pink-ball game - the same as next week's second Test in Brisbane.

How, though, should teams prepare for their biggest sporting tests? Former England men's goalkeeper Paul Robinson played 41 times for his country and was England's number one at the 2006 World Cup. He explains to Ade Adedoyin how the country's so-called 'golden generation, including David Beckham, Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney, readied themselves for the tournament in Germany whilst dealing with heightened expectation back home. Australian broadcaster and cricket writer Melinda Farrell says preparation in sport is often judged on results and thinks the England cricket team don't want to be seen to be changing their plans after one bad defeat.

More than the Score is the BBC World Service's daily podcast exploring stories from all over the world of sport. Every Monday to Friday, we're telling stories beyond the scoreline, from tennis to football, boxing to bobsleigh, and rugby league to the NFL. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like pole vault titan Mondo Duplantis, boxing royalty Cecilia Braekhus and tennis legend Boris Becker, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from top football scouts to physios who keep NBA stars in peak condition. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels.

And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email [email protected], or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

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More Than The ScoreBy BBC World Service