The Ashes: Lyon wants Australia to complete 5-0 whitewash

Sydney, Jan 2 (IANS) Off-spinner Nathan Lyon wants Australia to repeat the 5-0 thrashing achieved on home territory in 2006-07 and 2013-14 with two Ashes Tests remaining in Sydney and Hobart.The hosts have already retained the urn following their thumping victory over England in Melbourne last week, taking an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.Lyon said that Australia will go for an Ashes series whitewash to boost their chances of reaching the final of the 2021-23 World Test Championship (WTC). He further asserted that Australia knows the importance of maintaining their winning run in the ongoing WTC cycle."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 was quoted as saying by Daily Mail ahead of the fourth Test scheduled to begin at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday."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," he added.Australia could not make the inaugural WTC final last year, when New Zealand beat India to win the crown, but lead the standings after their red-hot Ashes form.
--IANS --cs

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