England players not sure if they want to go because their families won't be allowed in. Australia seems to be struggling to come up with a coherent covid policy, hard to understand why. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/57976072
Historically families have been invited both in Aus and in UK. Would you want to be away from your family, probably in a bubble, for upto 4 months?
So they don't mind bouncers whizzing by their heads, but can't hack a few months away from nearest & dearest?
In Botham's day, I'm sure they loved being away for a few months, one long stag do. How times have changed.
If the series are played in front of empty grounds, that surely benefits us as we always hear about 'intimidating' Aussie crowds?
Botham talks about this in his autobiography, and it's actually quite the opposite, he ended up flying his wife and kids out there with his own money when the ECB, or whatever it was called back then, wouldn't and reflects that the situation now is much much better than it ever was with players having families out there.
The shagging about came a lot later, Liam was grown up with his own kids by then and he was doing commentary for SKY when the waitress story broke
If you've not read it and are looking for a good book, Head On Botham's autobiography is a really good read, regardless of how much of a bellend he's now become!