Nathan Lyon has given England a prediction to ponder by insisting Australia can win the upcoming Ashes series 5-0.
The Australian offspinner was speaking at a team training camp in Brisbane where he was asked on two occasions about whether the visitors could inflict the ultimate ignominy on the hosts.
The second time he was asked for clarification on whether a whitewash was doable, a grinning Lyon said: "One hundred per cent. There you go. There's your headline."
Earlier Lyon had explained his thinking.
"I know it is a headline for you guys but in my opinion and my view, every game I play for Australia I am going out there to win it," he said.
"I think our squad should be really proud of what we have done over the last 24 months. It has been an incredible journey."
The barbs have been flying ahead of the five-Test series which starts on June 16 in Birmingham.
England bowler Ollie Robinson told the BBC in March that England could give Australia "a good hiding" and it was "an exciting time" to be playing the Aussies in home conditions.
His pace counterpart Stuart Broad had been quoted as saying the last Ashes series in Australia, lost 4-0 by England, was "a void series" due to COVID-19 restrictions that hampered the visitors. He went on to say he did not count it as a real Ashes.
"I am counting it as 4-0 … to Australia," Lyon said when asked about Broad's remarks.
"That's his opinion. That's the way he is trying to get under our feathers."
Lyon's remarks about a whitewash will no doubt get under a few feathers in England, but he is up for the likely response.
"I know I am going to get a lot of feedback from the English fans … positive, negative, whatever it may be. That's totally OK," he said.
"Hopefully [the games] are going to be sold out and there will be a lot of loud crowds out there. The best thing we can do as Australian cricketers is perform well and try and silence the crowds."
England have been thriving under the aggressive cricket universally known as "Bazball" and Lyon says Australia is up for the challenge ahead.
"I dare say if you asked Jim [James Anderson], I reckon they would say they are confident — and they should be. They are playing a great brand of cricket … but I am not really worried about what they are doing to be honest," he said.
"We will be very well prepared and planned for what they will throw at us but we have to concentrate on what we are doing well, making sure our preparation is key and that we go out there and … play the brand of cricket we want to play."
Broad has previously said it would "be great for us" if Australia attempted to play England's style when confronted with the ultra-attacking approach favoured by the English under Brendon McCullum.
"If we can get them playing in a slightly different style, they could make mistakes and that would be brilliant for us," Broad said.
AAP/ABC
