Ashes Watch – Mitchell Johnson ready to take centre stage
Australia’s resurgence in South Africa can be attributed to a number of factors but central among them has been the advance of one of their players from promising new ball bowler to genuine world class all-rounder. Mitchell Johnson was identified in his youth by none other than Denis Lillee as a ‘once-in-a-generation’ bowler – nobody would have believed then that Lillee may have sold his man short with that assessment.
Aussies have been excited about Johnson for some time and his wilderness years, spent driving a van in a remote town in the north of the country, are well-known. He finally got his act together and answered his calling as the man to plug one of the not-inconsiderable holes left in the Australia bowling attack by recent retirements. His test career began solidly rather than spectacularly but things started to change when an injury to Brett Lee, who had not exactly excelled himself as the new spearhead of the attack, suffered an injury, leaving Johnson as his side’s most experienced bowler with just 17 tests to his name.
He took 8-61 against South Africa at the WACA in December with a fearsome display of fast bowling. Then, when Australia were expected to roll over meekly in the return series, he took 2 wickets in his first over of the first test to really strike a blow and lift his side. He went on to break Graeme Smith’s hand (again) and draw blood from the chin of Jacques Kallis. In a world not currently overburdened with genuinely fearsome fast bowlers, Johnson was showing himself to be one of the very best, having added a ball coming back into the right hander to his stock away-swinger, with devastating results.
But Johnson has added a further dimension to his game which suggests he could be the key player this summer. Since Andrew Flintoff’s outstanding summer of ’05, Australia have been searching high and low for a test all rounder. They have tried a fair few. Shane Watson looked promising but tends to get injured doing anything more strenuous than getting out of bed; the risible Andrew Symonds, after signs that he may harness his abundant talents, has shown that off the pitch he is about as reliable as John Dyson armed with some numbers and a calculator; Andrew Macdonald is steady at best. And then the selectors discover that their man has been right under their nose all along.
Johnson is not, and will probably never be, a top 6 test batsman. But his statistics are very interesting, especially when compared with the much-trumpeted Flintoff. Freddie has spent most of his career with both his batting and bowling averages in the low 30s. Of late, his batting average has dipped below his bowling numbers, both hovering around 32 at present. Johnson, 21 tests into his career, averages 35 with the bat and 28 with the ball. While these are numbers which must be put into context – Johnson has enjoyed a run of good form which affect his numbers more greatly due to the small number of tests he has played, while Flintoff at his peak was far better than his figures suggest – the evidence is that Johnson is a serious contender as an all-rounder. And do not forget that he has spent most of his career batting at 8 or 9.
The benefits for Australia are several. Firstly, it allows them to pick batting all-rounder in their top 6 whose bowling is solid but who is perhaps not a 3rd seamer. Shane Watson (when fit) springs to mind. Or, given that they do not have a test class spinner, it allows them to pick6 batsmen with Marcus North at 6 who, along with Michael Clark, can provide a few overs of spin, while picking 4 seamers with Johnson effectively the all-rounder. In England, this could be the way to go with Lee and Stuart Clark returning to bolster a seam-bowling cupboard which already contains Hilfenhaus, Siddle and Mcdonald. Australia suddenly have options in the balance of their side.
Johnson can also go some way to fill the gaping hole left by the incomparable Adam Gilchrist. More often during their dominant period than people generally remember, Australia’s top order would be a little short of runs, and it was invariably Gilchrist and A.N.Other who dug them out it. Haddin is a worthy player but is no Gilchrist, and the silencing of the great ‘keeper went a long way to winning England the Ashes in 2005. Johnson’s 96* and 123* in South Africa were pure Gilchrist – timely, quick, brutal but ultimately responsible. He has shown a feel for batting with the tail. England will never feel that they are through Australia with Johnson at the crease and given their travails in trying to take 20 wickets of late, this could be crucial.
Johnson is unlikely to bat higher than 8, but he will go into the series with a higher average than England’s likely number 6. He has also developed into arguably one of the top 2 quick bowlers in the world. In an Ashes series lacking the players with the individual brilliance of recent encounters (with a few notable exceptions), Johnson could be the trump card, especially with Flintoff palpably on the wane. Regular big match winners need to have that little bit extra. England have Pietersen but Australia can answer that with Ponting. But at present, England do not look like having an answer to Mitchell Johnson.
By Stuart Peel
