Joe Root plays a straight bat to Nathan Lyon’s World Cup commnents
Nathan Lyon has sought to stir things up ahead of Australia’s blockbuster World Cup semi-final with England but the home side’s captain isn’t taking the bait.
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Joe Root has accused Australia of engaging in typical mind games as the England batsman branded Nathan Lyon’s provocative comments a throwback to Glenn McGrath’s antics.
While Australia has never lost a World Cup semi-final, Lyon said it was “their (England’s) World Cup to lose” given they have been ranked No.1 for several years.
Just 12 hours after those comments Australian coach Justin Langer said “we won’t get into that sort of rubbish” when asked about media barbs.
But Root wasn’t surprised at Lyon trying to shirk the pressure.
“Nathan has a lot to say a lot of the time, so for me you just take it with a pinch of salt,” Root said.
Asked if England expected mind games from the Aussies, Root said: “Yes”, noting that previous games between the arch rivals had “got a bit spicy”.
“It (Australia playing mind games) has happened for years,” Root said.
“Look back at when McGrath played and (when he predicted the Ashes would be) 5-0.
“It’s just part and parcel of when you play against Australia. That’s how they like to prepare themselves, get themselves ready and we will go about in our own way.
“I can’t speak on behalf of anyone else but it doesn’t for me. It is what it is. That is what they want to do to get themselves ready and we will focus on ourselves.
“I try not to get too involved to be honest. I think there have been times within games when it has got a bit spicy and there have been a few exchanges on the field but generally we will go about things in our own way and just get ourselves ready as best we can.”
Australia upset England in their World Cup dress rehearsal in May and then backed that up with last month’s 64-run win at Lord’s.
But Root argued his team still had the wood over the five-time World Cup kings.
“If you look at the past 11 games we have played against them we have won 9,” he said.
“There has been a lot made of the fear factor of playing against Australia but I think this group of players over the last four years, their experiences against Australia are very positive.
“They have got a lot of success in the bank. “
England opener Jonny Bairstow lashed out at Michael Vaughan and other critics after the loss to Australia for “wanting the team to fail” in a war or words that jolted the batsman back into form.
Bairstow has since scored 111 (against India) and 106 (New Zealand) with Australia declaring the winner would most likely be decided by whoever wins the power-plays.
The Aussies are targeting early wickets and have put a premium on breaking the Bairstow-Jason Roy combination.
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