Spinner Nathan Lyon believes his team can sweep the Ashes series, saying England will have doubts about its own chances given its poor record in Australia.
The tourists have lost nine of their last 10 Tests in Australia going back more than a decade and haven’t won in Brisbane — where the opening Test starts next Wednesday — since 1986.
Veteran Lyon, who is one wicket away from claiming 400 Test scalps, told fellow spin great Shane Warne in a question-answer session for News Corp. that the record would weigh on England.
“I think England will have some doubts because a lot of their senior players have been here on tours before and they haven’t won a Test out here,” Lyon said.
“If you look at the likes of Joe Root, Ben Stokes and these guys, I think they’re going to be confident. But I think there’ll be some doubt in their minds (about) the Australian side and the way the Australian team go about their business here.
“So I’m not sure if it’s fear — because no doubt they’ll have their belief within their squad. But I know in the Australian cricket team, we have the belief that we can win the Ashes 5-0.”
