The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Spinner Lyon defends Australia’s Ashes ‘party’
Australia’s post-match celebrations have come in for criticism after they retained the Ashes at Old Trafford but Nathan Lyon believes his team have “brought a nation together” on the other side of the world.
The tourists marked their 185-run win on day five, which handed them a 2-1 lead going into Thursday’s fifth Test at the Oval, with a raucous on-field party.
It started with renditions of the team song ‘Under the Southern Cross’ and a few more from a portable stereo, but veered towards the boorish as speeches were shouted and chants indulged.
What matters is the scoreline and the fact the urn is staying Down Under, a source of considerable pride to the Australia team.
“You get the chance to come out here and play cricket for Australia and represent your family, friends and everyone back home,” Lyon told the Australian media.
“It’s quite a special moment that a sport can bring a nation together. I daresay that the boys in that changing room have brought a nation together.
“Right now, it probably hasn’t sunk in, but as a kid growing up, and as soon as I got my Baggy Green, the biggest goal in my career has been to win the Ashes away.
“We’re 2-1 up and I want to go 3-1 up, and when we hold the urn up at the Oval it’s going to be an amazing feeling.”
England have named an unchanged squad for this week’s final Ashes Test, resisting the temptation to draft in new blood as they look to square the series.
Joe Root’s side can still stop the tourists recording a first outright win since 2001.
The short turnaround time between matches, just three days, always meant it would be hard for England to do anything dramatic to the make-up of their squad but they have retained the same XI plus Sam Curran and Chris Woakes, who missed out on selection in Manchester.
Question marks remain over the fitness of Ben Stokes, who injured his right shoulder over the weekend and did not bowl in Australia’s second innings.