Ben Stokes apologises ahead of second Ashes Test after publicly criticising England cricket greats

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England cricket captain Ben Stokes has apologised for a 'horrible' slip of the tongue after he labelled ex-Test greats Ian Botham and Geoff Boycott 'has-beens'.

Stokes said it before England's crushing first Ashes Test loss in Perth after the high-profile pair criticised the team's lack of preparation before the series.

Ex-England captains Botham, Boycott, Graham Gooch and Michael Vaughan all said a three-day match against the Lions on a slow pitch was a poor way to prepare for a Test match on a bouncy Perth deck.

Stokes called them 'has-beens' when defending his team's lack of practice games, which didn't include a match against a state side, which often previously happened at the start of an Ashes tour.

This week he said his response to the ex-England captains was a 'slip of the tongue.'

'I got the words I said completely wrong. I think everyone knows that,' Stokes said.

England captain Ben Stokes has apologised for calling ex-players 'has-beens'

Ex-England opener Geoff Boycott labelled England's Bazball focus to their batting 'brainless'

'Has-beens is a horrible word. It's the only thing that managed to come out of my mouth at that moment.

'God, I'm going to be a former player one day. It's completely the wrong wording and I think everyone knows it's not at all what I meant.'

Botham and Boycott also took aim at Stokes' side and their 'Bazball' tactics, warning they could backfire on pitches offering something for bowlers. They were proved correct as England were rolled for 164 in the second innings in Perth.

The tourists only batted for 32.5 overs in the first innings and 34.4 overs in their second innings capitulation at Optus Stadium.

Their run rate over the Test was close to five per over - but they couldn't occupy the crease over long periods.

Stokes used the now infamous phrase 'has-beens' when trying to explain that modern cricket schedules meant there wasn't as much time to play a series of practice matches.

'It's not the way I would prepare,' Botham told reporters. 'The ball does seem to get to you quicker [in Perth] and the light's different.

'You've (also) got the 'Fremantle Doctor'. There's all kinds of things going into the melting pot.'

England great Ian Botham said the side's lack of practice games ahead of Perth was a huge error

Boycott wrote a scathing column in The Telegraph, saying he couldn't take Stokes' team seriously after Australia won the first Test inside two days.

He described England's batting as 'brainless'.

'They never learn, because they never listen to anyone outside their own bubble,' Boycott wrote.

Stokes also had to reject claims from Botham and ex-Aussie quick Mitchell Johnson that his team was arrogant.

'Call us rubbish, call us whatever you want…I think arrogant might be a little too far, but that's OK, we'll take the rough with the smooth,' Stokes said.

The skipper also called on England's travelling fans to keep supporting his team along with its aggressive approach to Test cricket which has been revamped under coach Brendon McCullum.

'It's a results-based job. We love our fans and know we have an incredible fanbase who come to support us,' he said.

'They want to see us win, we want to win. We're absolutely desperate. They're absolutely desperate. We're all on the same wavelength.

'We know there will be a lot of disappointed fans, but it's a five-game series. We are doing everything in our power to try to achieve our goal of winning the Ashes.'