Lyon keen to re-enact 2013-14 Ashes

Nathan Lyon, who was part of the unchanged XI who thumped England four years ago, says there is a chance for Australia to do something special this summer.

Australia's Nathan Lyon celebrates a dismissal

Despite his 2017 triumphs, Nathan Lyon says another 5-0 Ashes win would comfortably trump them all. (AAP)

Nathan Lyon has achieved some meaningful and marvellous milestones this year but featuring in another 5-0 Ashes win would comfortably trump them all.

Lyon's place in Australia's Test side was on shaky ground this time last year after a miserable 3-0 series loss in Sri Lanka.

Now Lyon is the most-experienced member of the XI and will be among the first picked in the team to face England in next month's Ashes opener.

The 29-year-old is in career-best form, according to captain Steve Smith, while coach Darren Lehmann believes the offspinner has been the nation's best bowler during the past 12 months.

The frontline tweaker racked up records this year on the subcontinent, taking 19 wickets in India then 22 in Bangladesh.

Lyon also surpassed Richie Benaud's tally of 248 wickets during the first Test in Dhaka, leaving Shane Warne as the only Australian spinner with more dismissals.

The significance of such achievements isn't lost on the 69-Test veteran but the Ashes remain the pinnacle for every Australian.

Few cricket contests have the capacity to elicit such dizzying highs and miserable lows.

"To beat them 5-0 was absolutely exceptional. You make friends for life when you win Ashes series," Lyon said, when asked to reflect on 2013-14.

"Hopefully, we're always going to catch up in years to come, to talk about that series.

"Now it's a good opportunity, especially for a young bowling attack, to really make their own mark on Australia's history.

"There's a chance for the Australian cricket team to go 5-0. The last time we did it, not many people gave us much hope of actually winning that series."

Lyon, Smith and David Warner are the only players remaining from that unchanged XI who thrashed England four years ago.

That summer will always rank highly on Lyon's list of career highlights.

"Obviously winning the Ashes 5-0 but it was also the first time I actually got to lead the team song," he said.

Lyon suggested it wouldn't take him long to readjust to local conditions.

"I stayed pretty strong in Bangladesh. I only changed a few things here and there, so it's not as massive overhaul," he said.

The next major milestone for Lyon, who has 269 Test wickets, will be overtaking Craig McDermott (291) on the list of Australia's leading wicket-takers.

He is still coming to grips, however, with bettering Benaud.

"It was something pretty special. You probably don't really look at it until you actually achieve it," Lyon said.

"Richie was a legend.

"I spoke to him a couple of times ... but I never really got the chance to sit down and speak one on one about spin bowling."


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Source: AAP



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