Cook declares Lyon talk 'irrelevant'

The message from former England captain Alastair Cook to his team is clear: there's no such things as magic balls and the carnage created by Mitchell Johnson four years ago is "irrelevant".

Cook has urged the tourists to keep their focus on Thursday's first Magellan Ashes Test and let Australia look backwards if they want to.

The subdued build-up to the series opener in Brisbane is now over courtesy of Nathan Lyon's biting comments to the English press, which surfaced on Tuesday morning.

Spinner Lyon said Australia was in the mood to "end some careers", claiming some English batsmen were so frightened by Mitchell Johnson the last time they toured that they wanted to fly back home.

For Cook, one of only five members of the English squad who featured in the 2013-14 series, it's ancient history.

"Mitch bowled outstandingly in that series, one of the best periods of bowling I've ever faced backed up by Ryan Harris, Peter Siddle – (but) they're no longer playing," Cook told reporters on Tuesday.

"So, in one sense, it's a bit irrelevant.

"It happened four years ago and it's all what happens on Thursday rather than looking back.

"England have won four of the last five Ashes series, so you can look at what you want."

Cook praised Australia's current pace attack – Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins – but said they hadn't exactly reinvented the wheel.

"There's nothing we haven't seen before in cricket," he said.

"They're not suddenly bowling 150 miles an hour. (They've) not got magic balls which start way outside the stumps and swing miles and stuff.

"They're very good bowlers with good records. As batters, that is the challenge we've got in the next seven weeks."

Cook said it was "really strange" that the only trash talk before the series was emanating from the Australian camp.

"I had a really nice 10-minute chat with Nathan," he said.

"He was the first person I saw when I got to the ground, asking how my kids were.

"It just makes me chuckle, I suppose – it makes everyone chuckle.

"It is what it is. All the talking stops very quickly and the series becomes a normal series after the first two hours."

2017-18 International Fixtures:

Magellan Ashes Series

First Test Gabba, November 23-27. Buy tickets

Second Test Adelaide Oval, December 2-6 (Day-Night). Buy tickets

Third Test WACA Ground, December 14-18. Buy tickets

Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Buy tickets

Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Buy tickets

Gillette ODI Series v England

First ODI MCG, January 14. Buy tickets

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Buy tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Buy tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Buy tickets

Fifth ODI Perth TBC, January 28. Join the ACF

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Buy tickets

Gillette T20 INTL Series

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Buy tickets

Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Buy tickets

Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Buy tickets

Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 13

Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21