Ashes 2021-22 | We want to go five-nil up in the series, asserts Nathan Lyon
Nathan Lyon has said that Australia wants to win the series five-nil
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Australia spinner Nathan Lyon has cleared the intention of the Australian team saying that they want to inflict a clean sweep in the series keeping an eye on the World Test Championship final. Lyon also revealed he didn’t consider any fixture as a dead-rubber while playing for Australia.
Australia are comfortably leading the Ashes 2021-22 by 3-0 and have already retained the 'Urn'. They have put up a superb team performance in the series while England is still searching for a win. England’s batting unit has disappointed them the most and that has been the key difference between both the sides.
The series is also a part of the World Test Championship and victories will benefit Australia in the points table. Spinner Nathan Lyon has stated that the Australian team intends to inflict a clean sweep over the opposition keeping an eye on the World Test Championship final.
"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," Lyon said, reported India Today.
"So there's no dead-rubbers. Firstly, because it's (the) Test championship, but another one, we want to go five-nil up."
"Obviously, the 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."
Australia weren’t able to make it to the finals of the inaugural World Test Championship last year when New Zealand beat India to lift the trophy. They are currently leading the standings for the WTC 2021-23. Joe Root is playing a class apart from other English batsmen. He has scored 253 runs from three matches and is the leading run-scorer in the series. Lyon admitted that Root has scored some decent scores but he also mentioned that the bowlers are doing job of restricting and dismissing every batsman very well.
"He has not scored a century but he's got off to some decent starts and he's made some decent scores," he stated.
"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 of that at the moment."
Lyon also said that the team doesn’t want to get complacent and wants to get better with each game.
"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,” he concluded.
"But at the end of the day, he's a world-class player."
Travis Head will miss the Sydney Test being Covid positive. Mitchell Marsh and Josh Inglis who were called as cover will join the squad on Sunday. Marcus Harris will also join the squad and Nic Maddinson will remain in Melbourne as a standby player, said Cricket Australia.
