Australian spinner Nathan Lyon’s ‘career-ending’ Ashes comments have not gone too well with former England wicket-keeper Matt Prior.

The leading Aussie off-spinner had made remarks about wanting to end the careers of English players, much in the same mould as the series Down Under in 2013-14 which had left a multitude of scars in the visitor’s dressing room.

“Being part of that squad, seeing Mitchell Johnson scare them, was unbelievable. We knew that they were broken. Hopefully we can recreate history,” Lyon had said.

Australia whitewashed the visitors by 5-0 in that series with Mitchell Johnson running riot, claiming a haul of 37 wickets.

The 30-year-old singled out Prior as someone who had felt the full effect of Johnson’s brutal pace.

“I was standing at leg slip and I nearly had to push a couple of guys back towards the stumps. Matt Prior wanted to fly home before the third Test in Perth and he was one of their senior players. He was scared. It was four years ago. I think he’s all right now,” Lyon had said about Prior.

Prior immediately responded to Lyon’s claims with a stern denial earlier in the day.

“If that was the case and I was scared, why didn’t I go home then? I have no idea where this has come from. It’s completely ridiculous and all I can do is laugh. It is wholeheartedly untrue. I stayed out there and what hurt me more was that I was dropped for the last two Tests because I wasn’t playing well.

“I hope the first Test goes well for Nathan. I will be watching with interest to see how he goes. He has other things to worry about rather than thinking about me. I hope he lets his cricket do the talking now,” he said.

The Englishman has now taken to Twitter with a dig of his own at Lyon reminding the spinner of Australia’s loss at home  in the 2010-11 Ashes series.

“I sincerely hope you’re not part of a losing Australia team on home soil. I still remember being sat on the outfield at the SCG after winning 3-1 while your press and fans were tearing into the Oz players. You want to end careers? Just make sure it’s not yours that ends,” he said in a tweet.

Johnson meanwhile was not going to pass up an opportunity to join in with the banter on social media, supporting his former team-mate in his claims on Prior.

“Nathan Lyon is only saying what we all heard before or during the Perth Test but if you say it isn’t true then we will take your word for it. Oh and thanks for the firewood (cricket bat) you threw in the WACA bin,” the Australian replied to Prior on Twitter.

All seemed like healthy banter towards the end with Prior looking forward to the glass of beer with Johnson.

The first Ashes Test is set to begin on Thursday at the Gabba in Brisbane.