Attack paints a target on Root
EVERY Australian bowler will target England captain Joe Root in the Ashes series, offspinner Nathan Lyon says.
Lyon said he was not surprised to hear England strike bowler Stuart Broad’s plans to nullify the Australian captain ahead of the first Test from November 23 in Brisbane.
“I know every team that comes over here targets the captain and I have no doubt, all our bowlers, we will be targeting Joe Root,” he told Sky Sports Radio.
“I am not surprised that they are going to target Steve Smith. But Smith is the best batsman in the world in my book. He is more than happy to take on that pressure.
“He has been exceptional for us the last few years and I expect no difference from Steve (in the Ashes).”
Broad made no bones about the fact England’s bowling stocks had planned most on dismissing Smith in the fiveTest series after the Australian’s 1237 Test runs in the past 12 months.
Only India’s Cheteshwar Pujara (1252) has scored more.
Lyon believed England had some weaknesses in a squad featuring recalled batsmen Gary Ballance and James Vince.
“We know England have a classy side, especially with Alastair Cook, Root, Stuart Broad and James Anderson,” he said.
“But there is some inexperience there so, hopefully, we can make them feel uncomfortable, put them under pressure and take 20 wickets.
“But anyone from one to 11, I don’t care. If they are English, I want to get them out.”
Lyon said Australia’s attack was already primed for the first Test after watching, first hand, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins in action in NSW’s 171-run Sheffield Shield win over Western Australia.
Left-arm quick Starc took two hat-tricks in that match to sound his Ashes intentions.
It also earned him a new nickname for the summer.
“Everyone calls him ‘ The Mop’ now. He just cleans up the tail,” Lyon said with a laugh. “That (Shield game) has really given us a lot of confidence, going into the summer as a bowling group.”
Meanwhile, Jackson Bird has been drafted in as Australia’s back-up bowling option, as Hazlewood prepares to enter the Ashes with fewer than 50 competitive overs under his belt.
Hazlewood, on return from a side strain suffered in Bangladesh, has been pulled out of NSW’s Sheffield Shield clash with Queensland starting on Monday.
Selectors and coaching staff decided the 26-year-old would join Bird and fellow quicks Starc and Cummins in training in Brisbane.
It means the quick will play in the first Test against England from November 23 at the Gabba having played one firstclass match this summer.