Australia’s cricketers want to end the Test careers of some Englishmen while winning the Ashes, spinner Nathan Lyon says.
Lyon has fanned the flames ahead of the first Test in Brisbane from Thursday, saying some Poms remain scarred from their last Ashes series in Australia.
“Could we end some careers? I hope so,” Lyon has told English journalists.
“I know Joe Root got dropped last time when he was here so it would be good to get him dropped again.
“If we can start by opening up that crack, it’s pretty crucial.
“There’s a lot of scars for the English guys, especially coming over here, especially when we have two guys bowling 150kmh and not just one now.”
Lyon accused some England batsmen of being frightened when facing pace ace Mitchell Johnson during Australia’s 5-0 home series whitewash in 2013-14.
“Seeing Mitchell Johnson scare all the Poms was unbelievable,” Lyon said.
“I was at leg slip and I nearly had to push a couple of the guys back towards the stumps.
“Leading into Perth we knew that they were broken. We knew Matt Prior wanted to fly home before the game started and he was one of the senior players. He was scared.”
The 2013-14 series in Australia hastened the end of the Test careers of Englishmen including Jonathan Trott, Graeme Swan and Kevin Pietersen.
Prior and current captain Root were dropped during the series and coach Andy Flower lost his job after the whitewash.
But Prior described Lyon’s comments as laughable.
“If that was the case and I was scared, why didn’t I go home?,” Prior has told English media.
“It’s completely ridiculous and … wholeheartedly untrue.”
Lyon said Australia’s current pace attack of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins were quicker than the nation’s 2013-14 attack led by Johnson and also featuring Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle.
And the offspinner rated Hazlewood as the best bowler in the world.
“He can swing the new ball in and out, he can seam it, he can bowl fast, he can bowl a nice bouncer, he can reverse an old ball,” Lyon said.
“His consistency, the pace he bowls at and the way he controls the game is incredible. In my book he’s the No.1 bowler in the world.”
Don Freo
Guest
You'll find the first lot of silliness came from Botham, Hussain and Michael Vaughan. This is the beginning of the Aussie response. The Poms can't do the sledge properly. It's a kind of shrill, "you do too..." kind of a yelp. Botham, in particular, speaks with his fingers crossed. There is no good English answer to Lyon. That fold by the senior Poms was one of sport's greatest crumbles. It was total disintegration. As infamous as Bodyline.
Don Freo
Guest
Yep. It's the whole point of a sledge. Shame Jimmy won't be playing...one down.
Don Freo
Guest
You going for class there?
dave
Guest
Thanks for the memories Nathan.I was at too young to witness the Lilllee/Thompson West Indies fast bowlers. Watching the genuine fear Johnson inflicted on the English was great. No harm in reminding them of this series and pointing out we have a couple of quicks ready to do the same.
JimmyB
Guest
Well it's not just Hayden, it's Warner, it's Lyon, it's McGrath etc who denigrate the opposition. Respect is a two way street, I'd show some to Australian cricket if only it showed some back My point about being the 5th ranked team is that you might think that they'd show a semblance of humility but not a bar of it. Australia are favourites IMO, doesn't mean that they have to carry on like a bunch of plums though. Karma's a funny thing, looks like Warner might need a sick note for this 'war'
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
It's amazing what a couple of good series on spin friendly pitches have done for Lyon's confidence. I certainly hope he bowls a heck of a lot better this summer than the endless overs of rubbish he delivered at home last summer. It looks like all this GOAT nonsense is going to his head. By the way. Lyon is our greatest ever off-spinner. The only number in his stats that has him ahead of the field is merely test matches played. Ashley Mallett was a better off-spinner than Lyon and neither of them rate against the performances of Hugh Trimble. Unless people also believe that Ponting is our GOAT batsmen, Lyon's GOAT offie tag is bereft of credibility.
jamesb
Guest
He won't mind that actually. PS: Hayden looks like a 60 year old.
Jameswm
Guest
Yeah - he'll be really scared at the prospect of an aging Jimmy Anderson peppering him with bouncers. Sure hope Jimmy tries it. Even Lyon would belt them.
Jameswm
Guest
Australia ranked 5th? England have no excuses then. Must surely win the series easily.
Jeffrey Dun
Roar Rookie
I have not watched Hayden's comments. I have always found him to be a a bore and not very insightful. I also suspect that very few other Australian supporters are interested in Hayden's views. "Aussies must be so proud of their current and former players..." Probably no prouder than you are of Stokes. But go ahead and denigrate Australian cricket on the basis of Hayden's comments. "...all of this from the mighty 5th ranked team in the world..." Another little irrelevant dig. Our test ranking by the way is meaningless in the context of this series. You are playing Australia at home and only the most optimistic England supporter is expecting to win the series.
Jeffrey Dun
Roar Rookie
".... he deserves to get carted around the park...". If England attempt to attack Lyon, England will be the losers and Lyon will have won.
JimmyB
Guest
Just watched the Hayden video, jeez it just doesn't stop does it. Aussies must be so proud of their current and former players, they do the country proud. Hayden celebrates his own ignorance, which everybody whose ever heard him speak knows to be a fact anyway. Australian cricket is unique in world sport I think in this kind of concerted BS before a bowl has been bowled and all of this from the mighty 5th ranked team in the world...it might even be palatable if they ever had the stones to carry on like it when overseas, but unsurprisingly not a peep. True champs, one and all.
JimmyB
Guest
Being able to talk and saying what he said are two different things, he deserves to get carted around the park and peppered with bouncers and here's hoping that he is.
jamesb
Guest
I guess Lyon is more comfortable within his skin. He has taken 269 wickets @ 31.83. So he is in a position where he can talk, but he has put extra pressure on himself.
JimmyB
Guest
Really classy. It might carry more weight or even be slightly intimidating if it didn't come from Fenton from the '70s show.
Targa
Guest
I'd take Rabada over Hazelwood, but Hazelwood is very good
Jameswm
Guest
Geez - don't hold back Gazza. I heard a nice story they were telling about a couple of Ashes tours ago. Athers was batting in the nets and the Aussie players were talking about his average against McGrath. His career average was 37, and 29 v Australia. Trying to work out where to do a head to head to get this. When McGrath was playing that average dropped to 20, but still can't work out head to head, not on cricinfo anyway.