Ashes: Nathan Lyon hopes Australia will 'end careers' of England players

[KingKhanWC]

Off-spinner Nathan Lyon hopes Australia can "end the careers" of some England players during the Ashes series.

Graeme Swann retired in the midst of England's 5-0 defeat in 2013-14, Kevin Pietersen was discarded after the series, and Jonathan Trott and Matt Prior hardly played again.

"Being part of that squad, seeing Mitchell Johnson scare them, was unbelievable," said Lyon.

"We knew that they were broken. Hopefully we can recreate history."

The first Ashes Test starts in Brisbane on Thursday.

And, on a day when Josh Hazlewood said Australia want to "open scars" in the England team, and the tourists' James Vince claimed the hosts are putting themselves under pressure, Lyon also said:

He wants to get England captain Joe Root dropped
All of the England team were scared in 2013-14, and Prior wanted to go home - a claim the former wicketkeeper has described as "laughable"
Hazlewood is the best bowler in the world
Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins are bowling more quickly than Johnson
England have no chance of winning, even if Ben Stokes plays a part in the series
Stumped podcast: Inside the Gabbatoir
Prior laughs off Lyon jibe

Four years ago, England arrived as the Ashes holders but were decimated by Johnson, who took 37 wickets in the series.

Lyon, one of only three of the current Australia side who played in 2013-14, said "one to 11" of England's team were afraid of the left-armer's bowling.

"I was standing at leg slip and I nearly had to push a couple of guys back towards the stumps," added the 30-year-old.

"Matt Prior wanted to fly home before the third Test in Perth and he was one of their senior players. He was scared. It was four years ago. I think he's all right now."

Wicketkeeper Prior was dropped after that match and only played four more Tests.

The former Sussex player said: "I have no idea where this has come from. It is wholeheartedly untrue. It is completely ridiculous and all I can do is laugh.

"I think Nathan Lyon has got other things to worry about without thinking about me. I hope the first Test goes really well for him because otherwise I'd suggest he's concentrating on the wrong things.

"I will be watching with interest to see how he goes. I hope he lets his cricket do the talking now."

England skipper Root, then on his first tour of Australia, was left out of the final Test in Sydney in January 2014 after averaging 27 with the bat.

Lyon, who played club cricket with the Yorkshireman in Adelaide, said: "It would be good to get him dropped again.

"There's a lot of scars for the English guys, especially coming over here and now we have two 90mph bowlers in Starc and Cummins, not just one."

Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood will form a three-man pace attack, supported by Lyon's spin.

While Starc and Cummins both bring express pace, Lyon said the skills of Hazlewood make him even more dangerous.

"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," said Lyon, who has played 69 Tests.

"His consistency, the pace he bowls at and the way he controls the game is incredible. In my book he's the number one bowler in the world."

Lyon believes Starc and Cummins can have the same impact as Johnson.

"I won't get into the nets to face them because they are way too quick for my liking," said Lyon.

"They are definitely bowling quicker in the nets than Johnson did. I saw [captain] Steve Smith land on his backside the other day. Johnson didn't do that."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/42056362

Some strong words from Lyon.

I think England will try to make him pay by not giving him many wickets and hitting him out the park.

 

[Chief Destroyer]

This is great trolling.

 

[hafizexpress]

Lyon is playing himself. This is overconfidence but I guess it can go for now considering this series is huge for both teams. Hopefully we see what we hear and all the players will back their talks. I expect to see an intense and heated Ashes!

 

[Rana]

When you have soft endings to careers such as Swann, Prior, Pietersen and Trott after an Ashes series, it would make sense to make such statements.

Could well be the end of Cook, Anderson and Broad

 

[giri26]

This is some epic trolling from Lyon but again England are coming with some pretty poor selections, so extreme pressure on the veterans in the squad. Anderson and Broad will feel the heat in the absence of Stokes.

 

[kingusama92]

NICEEE GARY!

 

[Convict]

Well it happened last time with old mate Swanny running away with tail between his legs.

 

[Brilliance]

Is Stokes not available for the series ?

 

[Dingolfy]

Well it happened last time with old mate Swanny running away with tail between his legs.

But you had Johnson last time and this time all your fast bowlers are made of glass.Moreover, apart from Smith, your batting is pretty weak.

 

[Convict]

But you had Johnson last time and this time all your fast bowlers are made of glass.Moreover, apart from Smith, your batting is pretty weak.

Not weak in Australia.

 

[R0H1T]

Not weak in Australia.

Not if it swings, two D/N tests this time?

 

[Robert]

Well it happened last time with old mate Swanny running away with tail between his legs.

You know he couldn’t grip the ball any more but Flower was putting pressure on him to play anyway? The dressing room was toxic. I think he felt trapped and miserable and so he walked. I might have done the same.

Really he should have finished his career the previous English summer.

 

[Robert]

Anderson is near the end. Broad has got three or four years left. I think Cook’s eyes have gone as he is dropping slip catches, so he might retire soon.

 

[Robert]

Is Stokes not available for the series ?

Depends on the Crown Prosecution Service. I think he will not be charged, but the wheels turn slowly.

 

[Convict]

You know he couldn’t grip the ball any more but Flower was putting pressure on him to play anyway? The dressing room was toxic. I think he felt trapped and miserable and so he walked. I might have done the same.

Really he should have finished his career the previous English summer.

I know Graeme Swann was the type of player who was call arrogant when his team was winning but the first to run when it got hard.

 

[UN talkz]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Last time someone spouted a whole load of ** about me I stayed quiet not this time.To be clear I may have been playing badly fair enough but there was no way I was getting on a plane home. You’ve embarrassed yourself <a href="https://twitter.com/NathLyon421?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NathLyon421</a> & this game has a funny way of biting back.</p>— Matt Prior (@MattPrior13) <a href="https://twitter.com/MattPrior13/status/932871836488159234?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">21 November 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Dingolfy]

Not if it swings, two D/N tests this time?

This.Any lateral movement, your boys are toast.They couldnt even handle movement from Indian bowlers in the recent ODI series.

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

Root will smash him all around the park (Insha'Allah). Let's see if he talk that much then

 

[Bilal7]

Someone is going to be very sad an embarassed after the first test.

 

[princeuk]

Nathan Lyon feeling brave after that comment

 

[Kroll]

This is just trolling, don't see why anyone should get worked up over it. Clearly, he's just trying to get on the bandwagon started by the likes of Warner. Cook's been a bit more sensible by laughing it off.

 

[WengerOut]

I am concerned about Anderson . Without all those clouds above , what will he bowl?

 

[Watsupdoc]

Hope the pommies smash these Aussies now. Not that I like any of these teams.

 

[James]

It was pretty much the worst England tour of all time. Ended the careers of Pietersen, Swann and Prior who had each been world-class players for a number of years in the past, and all of whom would have a genuine shot at getting into an all-time England XI even after their equally ignominious curtain calls.

The Test matches themselves were repetitive and embarrassing - England bowl quite well until they allow the bog average Brad Haddin (who has never given them great problems in the past) to look like Don Bradman and rescue the innings; then England suffer a catastrophic batting collapse against Johnno which essentially loses them the game on the second day. Aussies then bat bigger and England collapse like a deck of cards again having already given up. Rinse and repeat: Five Nil.

(The slight exception was the Melbourne Test wherein England blew several superficially winning positions with Pietersen playing particularly well, but the momentum was going so much in Australia’s favour that the result was always inevitable anyway there too.)

My predicted scoreline for this one has always been 4-1 to the Aussies, and so it will remain, but I can’t see the losses being quite as atrocious-looking; I can’t see a repeat of the Johnno situation; and I can’t see any major English retirements coming afterwards - except possibly Cook if he has a total shocker with the bat and in the slips.

Jimmy should absolutely not retire. By my observation he is bowling as well as he ever has at the moment.

 

[wrongun]

Lyon just creating a hostile atmosphere.

Press is printing retrospectives on Johnson's Brisbane destruction & KPs biography where he admist they were scared, they will probably recap the Adelaide match tomorrow.

Classic Aussie summer so far- turn the heat on the opposition from all quarters.

Soon the crowd will get in on the act too- glorious fun.

 

[Robert]

I am concerned about Anderson . Without all those clouds above , what will he bowl?

Same as he bowls everywhere else under blue skies - keep it tight, swing the new ball about for ten overs, then hope for some reverse with the old ball.

He could do well in the day/night match when the dew point is reached.

 

[Robert]

I know Graeme Swann was the type of player who was call arrogant when his team was winning but the first to run when it got hard.

What people called him was their business not his. Perhaps you didn’t see him when England lost 0-2 to SA at home, continuing to attack the batsmen as the runs piled up, swinging for the pickets against Steyn and Philander as he tried to level the series. But his right hand and arm still worked then.

 

[Hermoine Green]

PR stunts, nothing more.

 

[Sadevdesai]

He is just proving who he is ..... A Loud Mouth !!!!!!!!

 

[KingKhanWC]

Lyon just creating a hostile atmosphere.

Press is printing retrospectives on Johnson's Brisbane destruction & KPs biography where he admist they were scared, they will probably recap the Adelaide match tomorrow.

Classic Aussie summer so far- turn the heat on the opposition from all quarters.

Soon the crowd will get in on the act too- glorious fun.

KP seems bitter here trying to ridicule his team mates. Sure Johnson was bowling well but there is nothing to be scared of.

I have a feeling Lyon will be taken to the cleaners and his own career could be in trouble.

 

[wrongun]

KP seems bitter here trying to ridicule his team mates. Sure Johnson was bowling well but there is nothing to be scared of.

I have a feeling Lyon will be taken to the cleaners and his own career could be in trouble.

Trott was clearly unnerved and the tail (Swann on down) were definitely scared. None of their batsmen looked comfortable at all (fear? who knows? KP was there, he says so)

Let me refresh your memory
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1CMFxm5rhk

People have been saying Lyon will be smashed out of the attack and teams have tried it every tour for years. So far he's always performed at home. I suspect the same will happen this time. Whoever comes out on top out of Moeen and Lyon may well have a big impact on the series actually.

 

[James]

Only twice have I seen England teams look genuinely frightened of an opposition bowler, both times there was a combination of extreme pace and deadly accuracy - namely Shoaib Akhtar in 2005 and then Johnno in the Ashes. Sometimes a series just belongs to one man and those were two occasions when this happened, with England being on the receiving end both times. The two tours in question were 8 years apart which suggests to me this phenomena is very rare, but when you are a witness it is difficult to forget.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Trott was clearly unnerved and the tail (Swann on down) were definitely scared. None of their batsmen looked comfortable at all (fear? who knows? KP was there, he says so)

Let me refresh your memory
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1CMFxm5rhk

People have been saying Lyon will be smashed out of the attack and teams have tried it every tour for years. So far he's always performed at home. I suspect the same will happen this time. Whoever comes out on top out of Moeen and Lyon may well have a big impact on the series actually.

Pakistan took him to the cleaners in the last series in Aus . He took only 11 wickets in 3 tests averaging over 45. You must have been watching him at the local school yard.

There is a difference between not being able to play a fast bowler and being scared of him. Yes Johnson was quick but he was no Akhtar or Marshall who genuinely scared batsmen.

Aussies always talk big when at home because yes they are lions at home but kittens abroad.

 

[giri26]

Cook's career definitely looks in danger. Not sure another Ashes flop will be good for him.

 

[Abdullah719]

Nathan Lyon mocks Ashes 2017/18 media: 'I thought you were smarter'

Nathan Lyon taunted media by saying "I thought you were smarter than that" as he insisted his controversial comments about ending English careers during the Ashes were just a smokescreen.

Lyon found himself in the firing line over his remarks before the first Test, but he said he was being deliberately provocative to take the heat off Australia's left-field selections.

Australia's all-time leading off-spinner said he had no regrets about the comments, when asked on Friday if he would say the same thing again.

"I took a lot of pressure off Tim Paine and Cameron Bancroft, I thought you guys [media] were a little bit smarter than that but it is what it is," Lyon laughed.

"I am not going to stand back from what I said and I am confident in my own bowling."

Lyon said ahead of the first Test that many in the England squad remain shaken after their 5-0 defeat in Australia four years ago, and that Australia hoped to "end careers" in the current series.

Lyon, 30, was one of Australia's stars as the hosts fought back to dismiss the tourists for 302. They trail by 137 runs with six wickets in hand after Day 2 in Brisbane.

After a spectacular run-out on Day 1, Lyon claimed two wickets off 36 overs as the Australians captured the last six English wickets for 56 on Friday.

Lyon, dubbed the GOAT [Greatest Of All Time] by teammates and media, has now taken 271 wickets in 70 Tests, the most wickets by an Australian off-spinner.

"I feel like I am bowling very well, so I am excited at where it's going," he said. "My confidence has grown a large amount over the last 14 months.

"I've worked hard in the nets with [coach] John Davidson and I have really nailed down my consistency and knowing my game inside out and what works really for me."

Lyon said his comments which upset the England camp had nothing to do with the way he is bowling.

"At the end of the day it's a team game, I know my role in the Australian cricket team," he said.

"I know that I am a leader, I know I am one of the most experienced guys in that change room so if I can go out there and share my experience with the younger guys then hopefully we can put Australian cricket in a good place.

"My bowling is coming out the best it's come out. I am looking forward to the rest of this series."

https://www.thenational.ae/sport/cr...-18-media-i-thought-you-were-smarter-1.678393