Overview

• Nathan Lyon conceded his 2017-18 sledging was a planned tactic to divert attention from Tim Paine and Cameron Bancroft
• Lyon praised England’s Bazball shift toward prioritising wins over entertainment and warned that seam-friendly pitches are eroding opportunities for specialist spinners
• He has been running spin-bowling seminars in New South Wales to bolster the craft and spotlight the global decline in spin-bowling chances
• Scott Boland prepared to blunt England’s aggressive batting style and backed Lyon as an indispensable asset in Australia’s bowling lineup
• Joe Root brushed off David Warner’s taunts about his Down Under record as irrelevant and stressed business-as-usual focus on performance and enjoyment