Former England wicketkeeper Matt Prior has dismissed claims he wanted to quit mid-way through the 2013-14 Ashes series as "ridiculous" following a stinging attack from Nathan Lyon on Monday.

Off-spinner Lyon was part of the Australian team that whitewashed England 5-0 on the tourists' previous visit to the country.

Jonathan Trott left the tour with a stress-related illness and Graeme Swann announced his retirement when the team fell 3-0 behind.

And Lyon has now suggested Prior, who was dropped during the series, also wanted to walk away.

"Seeing Mitchell Johnson scare all the Poms was unbelievable," Lyon said ahead of the first Test, which starts in Brisbane on Thursday.

"I was at leg slip and I nearly had to push a couple of the guys back towards the stumps. It was good fun.

"Leading into Perth we knew that they were broken. We knew Matt Prior wanted to fly home before the game started and he was one of the senior players. He was scared.

"Could we end some careers? I hope so."

Prior, though, has dismissed Lyon's remarks out of hand as his successors brace themselves for the cauldron of the Gabba. 

He said: "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."