Former England captain Michael Vaughan has bitten back at Ben Stokes after the country’s current leader dismissed criticism of their preparations for the Ashes as coming from “has-beens”.

The tourists’ lead-in to the blockbuster series — which includes only one three-day hit-out against their ‘A’ side the England Lions, which started on Thursday — has been widely questioned.

Legendary all-rounder Sir Ian Botham led the chorus of criticism, saying earlier this month not playing any games against Australian State sides “borders on arrogance”.

But before training at Lilac Hill on Wednesday, Stokes said the jam-packed nature of the modern schedule made a longer build-up to the series impossible.

“I don’t really know what we’re supposed to do, to be honest,” Stokes said.

“Come the 21st of this month, we know that we would’ve done everything that is possible that we could’ve done to be in the right place to go out there and hopefully start the tour how we want.

“There’s quite a few factors that play into the whole of why we can’t (prepare) how the has-beens have maybe prepared in the past.”

Vaughan took aim at Stokes overnight, saying England should respect the views of their past legends.

“Just because the ‘has-beens’ have a different view does not mean these are not valid comments,” Vaughan wrote in his column for The Telegraph.

“They are coming from legends of the game who cannot play any more because they are too old, but that does not mean they do not desperately want England to win!

“All the former players and media I have spoken to want England to win this series. They are saying these things because they are concerned, and see the risk.”

Vaughan was more reserved in his views on England’s lead-up to the Ashes than some of their other past players, writing the only way to determine whether they were sufficient was seeing how they performed.

“Supporters have to trust that England know what they are doing and that this method will bring results, even if it is anathema to many,” he wrote.