Eoin Morgan believes it is “laughable” that The Hundred is being blamed for England’s Ashes humiliation as he insisted Test cricket “has always been the priority”.

A 4-0 defeat in Australia has prompted much soul-searching and England Test captain Joe Root reasoned that anyone coming into the set-up is doing so “in spite of county cricket, not because of county cricket”.

First-class cricket in the country has been increasingly pushed out into the margins of the season in recent years while the inaugural edition of the England and Wales Cricket’s 100-ball event in 2021 was held in July a...