Australian spinner Nathan Lyon declared on Sunday that his side was determined to complete yet another 5-0 whitewash of England at the Ashes.
Australia regained the Ashes last week after consigning England to an innings defeat in the third Test at Melbourne. The fourth Test is scheduled to begin at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday.
Lyon was quoted by Reuters as saying, “I've never ever considered (a match) dead-rubber when you wear the baggy green and go out and represent Australia in a Test match. So there's no dead-rubbers. Firstly, because it's [World] Test Championship, but another one, we want to go five-nil up.”
Referring to the World Test Championship, Lyon said, “Obviously Ashes for me is the pinnacle, but I'd love to be part of the Test Championship final, whether that's at Lord's or wherever it may be in the world... A lot of work to do to get there.”
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Despite Australia's confidence, Lyon conceded England remained a “world class” side that wanted to salvage some pride in the remaining two Tests. He noted England captain Joe Root, who was the leading run scorer in Tests in 2021, remained a prize wicket.
“He [Root] has not scored a century but he's got off to some decent starts and he's made some decent scores. Our job is to try and restrict and try and remove each and every batter that comes out there... and I think we've been doing a really good job in that at the moment. I don't want to rest on our heels or anything like that. We want to get better... and try and put Joe under a lot more pressure when he first comes to the crease so he doesn't get a start. But at the end of the day, he's a world class player,” Lyon was quoted as saying by Reuters.
