A war of words has broken out between the Ashes combatants. But they're fighting the last war again, not the next.
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It began when Nathan Lyon said Australia wanted to end some England careers as they did in 2013/14, and claimed wicketkeeper Matt Prior was so scared in that series that he wanted to go home.
"He was one of the senior players. He was scared," Lyon quipped.
"Could we end some careers? I hope so.
"I know Joe Root got dropped last time when he was here so it would be good to get him dropped again.
"There's a lot of scars for the English guys. Especially coming over here, especially when we have two guys bowling 150kmh and not just one now."
Lyon has received heavyweight support from scarer-in-chief Mitchell Johnson who took 37 wickets in the series. Johnson on Twitter said that Lyon was only repeating what the players had heard during the series [that England were scared].
@NathLyon421 is only saying what we all heard before or during the Perth Test @MattPrior13 but if you say it isn't true then we will take your word for it. Oh & thanks for the firewood (cricket bat) you threw in the Waca bin ???? #ashes #13/14 #seeyouforabeeratscgwhenaussieswin??? Mitchell Johnson (@MitchJohnson398) November 21, 2017
The now-retired Prior has taken to Twitter to retort, warning Lyon that he would want to be sure his own career did not fizzle out this time and reminding Johnson of his own past failures.
"Last time someone spouted a whole load of BS about me I stayed quiet, not this time," Prior wrote. "To be clear, I may have been playing badly fair enough but there was no way I was getting on a plane home. You've embarrassed yourself (Nathan Lyon) and this game has a funny way of biting back.
"I sincerely hope you're not part of a losing (Australian) team on home soil (Nathan Lyon). I still remember being sat on the outfield at the SCG after winning 3-1 (in 2010-11) while your press and fans were tearing into the Oz players. You want to end careers? Just make sure it's not yours that ends."
While conceding the role Johnson played in Australia during the last Ashes series, Prior told Johnson not to forget the horror Ashes series the Australian fast bowler had endured before 2013/14 invoking a Barmy Army chant "bowls to the left, bowls to the right" as the hashtag.
That was then. This is now. On Tuesday, Australian opener David Warner and England counterpart Alastair Cook played down the verbals, saying that it had been amusing to watch past and present players do battle, but it was time to get on with the game.
Last time someone spouted a whole load of BS about me I stayed quiet not this time.To be clear I may have been playing badly fair enough but there was no way I was getting on a plane home. You've embarrassed yourself @NathLyon421 & this game has a funny way of biting back.??? Matt Prior (@MattPrior13) November 21, 2017
Warner did say, as he has before, that he expected banter. Cook, in a rare sally, said no Australian would want to be part of a team that lost at the Gabba, where Australia has an impregnable record. But these were asides.
"Obviously, there's been a lot of talking from players and past players," said Warner.
"In the end, we've got a game in a couple of days, and we've got to go out there prepared for battle. The words have been said. it's about time to get on with the cricket."
I sincerely hope you're not part of a losing @CricketAus team on home soil @NathLyon421. I still remember being sat on the outfield at the SCG after winning 3-1 while your press&fans were tearing into the Oz players. You want to end careers? Just make sure its not yours that ends??? Matt Prior (@MattPrior13) November 21, 2017
with AAP