Young England batter Harry Brook has fired a warning shot ahead of the first Ashes Test against Australia, saying that he is gonna “take Nathan Lyon on”.
Australia’s spinner is likely to be on the receiving end of some aggressive batting tactics in the Ashes over the next two months. Only three spinners in the history of the game have taken more wickets than Nathan Lyon, who finished the last cycle of the World Test Championship in 2021–23 as its leading wicket-taker with 88. But the 35-year-old’s record would not stop England from going after him with their new aggressive style of play.
And Brook has confirmed exactly what Lyon can expect from him at Edgbaston in this week’s first Test of the series.
“If he bowls a good ball, then I am going to respect it. But other than that, I am going to try to take him on. He could get a lot of wickets, but hopefully we are going to hit him for a lot of runs,” said Brook, as quoted by the ICC.
“I would like to think I am a player who can find gaps and hit different gaps, I try and play all around the wicket. I will see whatever field he has; I am sure they will probably start with everybody up and we will go from there,” he added.
Brook has enjoyed a remarkable start to his Test career, averaging 81.80 with four centuries and three fifties to his name after seven Tests.
