Australians could soon be under fire, says Prior

FORMER England wicketkeeper Matt Prior has warned Australia they will quickly find themselves in the firing line if they do not get off to a good start in the opening day of the Ashes.

Prior, who was this week dragged into the Australians’ pre-Ashes war of words by spinner Nathan Lyon (left), warned the criticism in the national media and public perceperception could rapidrapidly shift depdepending on evevents in the oopening Test starting tonight.

“As an England team, you’you’re going to cop it,” said Prior, who played in the last Ashes series on AustralianAus soil in 2013-14.

“If you earn their respect, the public and media will turn on their pplayers and team. If EnglaEngland can get on top, that’s the challenge, to earn the respectrespe of the press and public anand that quickly turns.”

England batsbatsman Dawid Malan had alrealready hinted that the media onslaught towards the toutourists had begun to shift in the build-up to the First Test, which gets under way at the Gabba at midnight.

Writing in his Standard Sport diary yesterday, the Middlesex batsman said: “In recent days, the locals have been more interested in slagging off the squad Australia have selected for the First Test, which suits us very well.”

Barbs have been thrown the way of England’s players past and present, most notably towards Prior, with Lyon claiming he had helped end his England career and that Prior was “scared” of facing Australia’s attack four years ago.

Prior told BBC Sport: “Jimmy Anderson said it sounded like Nathan Lyon had lost a bet going into all those things.

“For me, there’s banter and Ashes hype but there’s also respect for the game and respect for fellow professionals. And to say you want to end players’ careers, I think that’s a bit strong particularly from a guy that’s still playing.”

England go into the series as underdogs, a tag Prior said would suit Joe Root and his men, who he predicted would defy the odds for a 3-1 series victory.

“It’s going to be a huge ask with no shadow of a doubt but I believe they can win it,” added Prior.

“The England XI looks a strong XI and I’m pretty confident going into this Test match.”