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Article by baggy_blogger -
In this modern era of information overload, instant wants needing to be instantly met, and a rapid shift in the value system, it?s no surprise how so many changes in the global village have filtered into the game of cricket.
We have been debating the survival of ODI cricket with the threat posed by the lucrative lure and quick fix entertainment Twenty20 cricket provides. In a world where peoples focus is best handled in short time frames, Test cricket still has its moments for heated debates as to whether it can go on as is, or whether it needs substantial tweaks as we?ve seen in ODI cricket to make it more accessible.These factors are also burdened by ?overkill cricket?, something which I have written about on many occasions. I have no issue with putting on my television to witness a variety of cricket day in, day out, as long as it is quality driven and serves as a worthy purpose for the game, the team and the fans.
With the amount of cricket played, the growth of State cricket?s exposure to a wider audience through T20 cricket, as well as the variation between the three formats at all levels, it is hard to recall games the way you could 5 years ago. It?s understandable and in some ways a bit unfortunate.</p>This seems to be relative in forgetting about certain cricketers that get lost in the overload timeline of modern day cricket. It seems that when a player is initially left out; through injury, getting dropped and phased out to make way for younger or more reliable player, we tend to quicker forget about them because the turnaround time in matches we witness is so intense and rapid!
A few examples would be James Hopes, Callum Ferguson, Doug Bollinger and even a bloke like Nathan Hauritz. Sure, you will remember these guys and obviously they?re presently still active within State cricket but I am quite sure that the majority of supporters won?t be able to recall when they were left out, why they were left out or even be able to pinpoint the dates they last featured for Australia.
It?s understandable though to forget about a specific player. We have so many other things in life to remember now, amongst all the various cricket tournaments we get exposed to.
We don?t forget the player, but we may forget their contributions to Australian cricket, or even the risk of forgetting the positive elements of their game they brought to the team. As new players get brought into the side, get accepted and show their true class at the elite level, this is also a valid reason to forget about a certain player, especially if he was in a serious rut for form within a format seen as the pinnacle of the game.
Think of Australia?s fast bowler Mitchell Johnson. You remember Mitch, right?
He was that bloke who tore apart South Africa?s batsmen in a historical game at the WACA in 2008. He also had another dig at them in 2009 where he starred as an emerging all-rounder. He received the ICC Player of the year award in 2009. He took 6/38 against England in a victorious game at the WACA ? an effort during a forgettable Ashes series – and 6/31 versus Sri Lanka in an ODI played in 2011 (4th best figures in Australian ODI history). A short biography here ought to spark some other memories!
The problem with this picture is that it was distorted with unbelievable inconsistency which ended up having a massive impact on the Australian side in a negative manner, clouding Johnson?s brilliance on his days. The problem with Johnson?s awesome abilities was simply because those days of brilliance were too infrequent. His off days were sour and drew hyped up media criticism. Supporters will recall more tough days at the office than good ones, which is sadly true in the bizarre case of Mitchell Johnson.
Mitch pumped up versus Sri Lanka ? AFPIn Mitchell?s last 10 tests, which I see as relevant indication to form beyond the stats, he took 27 wickets but this came at an average of 48.85. Mitchell?s control was shaky and became worse, he had struggled to separate an unfortunate personal incident from his career, he?d also adjusted his run up considerably in his last few appearances – an immediate observation by professionals owing to a confidence problem – and he was just too inconsistent between his best and his worst. This was not helping the consistency required for Australia?s test bowlers to move forward as they strived to advance back to the number 1 rank. It?s a harsh reality but a valid one and this is coming from a loyal supporter.Mitchell Johnson?s ?hot and cold? nature of bowling simply seems to be no longer suited for Australian test cricket, especially with the seniors Peter Siddle, Ben Hilfenhaus and Ryan Harris having led the bowling attack incredibly during the victorious 4-0 Border-Gavaskar series.
Control, consistency and an ability to strategically build pressure together was the key to their success, something history would show Johnson would have struggled to follow.
Then there?s the burst of young talented bowlers, such as; James Pattinson (current Baggy Green representative), Patty Cummins, Ben Cutting, Alister McDermott, Jackson Bird, Nathan Coluter-Nile and Josh Hazlewood. All of them stand out as recognised emerging players of the future.
I bring this up as when Australia’s bowling future is spoken of, most of the above mentioned players come up with the exception of Mitchell Johnson. The impression seems that outside of the team he’s fallen off the radar in a very short space of time with general opinion.</p>I don?t see a return to test cricket being on the radar for Mitchell Johnson, at least any time soon.
With all the cricket we?ve been exposed to since his final series against South Africa in November 2011 (series was tied 1-1), it?s understandable why Mitchell may have become a ?forgotten player? of Australian cricket, especially after the way the bowling unit performed during the Australian summer. It was a daunting, exciting display to watch and this was an attack that featured a balance of experience and youth. One can?t forget the effort prior to the summer by Patrick Cummins during Mitchell’s last test series. It was a performance which showed us that the young guys have the goods to compete with the seniors. James Pattinson has done this outstandingly!
It?s not all doom and gloom for Mitchell, in my opinion. I always look at the positives and while I don?t see a return to test cricket for him as a foreseeable one, I do believe he has that X factor for limited overs cricket. If you like to use stats in your debates, Mitchell?s stats are about to do the talking.
In his last 20 ODIs played for Australia (bearing in mind he is out due to injury as opposed to having been dropped) Mitchell Johnson took 37 wickets at an average of 19.86.
In his 11 games post-World Cup he took 23 wickets at an average of 19.26.
The top it off, he was our leading wicket taker for the period of 2011 with 39 wickets at a world-class average of 20.94.
In his ODI series post the 2010/11 Ashes series he averaged:
23.83 versus England in Australia, 23.10 in the ICC 2011 World Cup, 20.57 versus Bangladesh, 8.25 versus New Zealand, 16.90 versus Sri Lanka and 22.60 versus South Africa.
During those 20 matches I listed with the 37 wickets claimed, Australia won 15, lost 4 (included the massive loss to India in the 2011 World Cup) and had a no result in 1 match.
These stats are a true reflection of his performances. In a game where batsmen dominate, having a bowler who can provide a bit of inconsistency ? a politer or more tactical word may be ?unpredictability? ? is a good secret weapon to have. Mitchell can bowl unplayable yorkers, bang a ball bloody hard into the batting deck and extract bounce from most tracks. He has raw pace and lures batsmen to take him on at times. When he has a bit of swing on offer he?s a handful to combat for most batsmen, very often unplayable.
In a nutshell, his bowling attributes seem credible for limited overs cricket and his statistics indicate that upon his return to cricket, he should be given the opportunity to return to the limited overs setup where recently the bowlers have had some difficulties.
The observation of Mitchell?s natural abilities and his statistics give a clear indication for the supporters that he is best suited to limited overs cricket and can provide successful input for the side to get the required output. It is a format which allows him to limit the gap between his best and worst, whereas the harsh nature of test cricket doesn?t allow him this opportunity. Having also watched quite a lot of his bowling performances in his most recent ODIs I have recorded and this all seems valid.
As an emerging all-rounder, Mitchell also has the ability to bat with aggression and caution, making him an extremely useful lower order batsman in ODI cricket.
The big question is do you remember all of this? Do you remember the aspects that made Mitchell Johnson such an interesting talking point for the cricket enthusiast?
This should get your memory banks back in motion but anyone can be forgiven for having forgotten about him, either because the inconsistency drove you up the wall, or because the modern day game sees so much cricket played.? Top class performances have been produced by many of Australia?s current bowlers too.
The last point is one Mitchell Johnson would have had time to explore within him. Does he have the self-belief to return?
Darren Berry, the coach of the South Australian Redbacks, wrote an article stating that a player needs to have that ?look in his eye? to show he has the self-belief that he is the man for the job. In his capacity as coach he states that he can instantly see this in a player.
As a non-professional I will boldly say that when I see Mitchell Johnson in the green and gold gear, there is a look about him. It?s a confident look, it?s a look in his eye when he gets a wicket that he is the man for the job and has the drive and hunger for more. In test cricket, I don?t see it. I also don?t sense it in his body language, if anything he looked run down in the whites, tired of the struggle. This is just a close observation. Maybe Berry has a highly valid point?
Australia?s bowling has entered a new era. It is one that you will all be able to fondly remember if you cast your mind back to the summer. The key as a supporter is to remember which of these players contribute to this transition and that you don?t forget where each and every player has played his role. It can be invaluable in the long run and Mitchell Johnson should be no exception to be able to contribute to this in a specific format if he is to make a return.
He is in the Mumbai Indians team for the Indian Premier League (IPL), so hopefully he gets a few games in there to make people remember who Mitchell Johnson is.
Maybe, just maybe, he will be able to gain the confidence of the new selection panel in the not too distant future to get a re-call to the ODI Squad and remind the supporters about Mitchell.
Mitchell Johnson is a bowler, who has had a history of bleak performances and disappointed supporters with his inconsistency, but he?s also a bowler who tries his utmost best and when he has that look about him to play at his best for Australia he can deliver unforgettable performances, making him hard to forget about.
This article is from The Baggy Green Blog!
Thanks for reading this article written by Ian.
To comment on this article, click here.
TWITTER
@BaggyGreenBlog
@Ianbaggygreen
@SylvesterAu
@Dan_Stapo
More...
In this modern era of information overload, instant wants needing to be instantly met, and a rapid shift in the value system, it?s no surprise how so many changes in the global village have filtered into the game of cricket.
We have been debating the survival of ODI cricket with the threat posed by the lucrative lure and quick fix entertainment Twenty20 cricket provides. In a world where peoples focus is best handled in short time frames, Test cricket still has its moments for heated debates as to whether it can go on as is, or whether it needs substantial tweaks as we?ve seen in ODI cricket to make it more accessible.These factors are also burdened by ?overkill cricket?, something which I have written about on many occasions. I have no issue with putting on my television to witness a variety of cricket day in, day out, as long as it is quality driven and serves as a worthy purpose for the game, the team and the fans.
With the amount of cricket played, the growth of State cricket?s exposure to a wider audience through T20 cricket, as well as the variation between the three formats at all levels, it is hard to recall games the way you could 5 years ago. It?s understandable and in some ways a bit unfortunate.</p>This seems to be relative in forgetting about certain cricketers that get lost in the overload timeline of modern day cricket. It seems that when a player is initially left out; through injury, getting dropped and phased out to make way for younger or more reliable player, we tend to quicker forget about them because the turnaround time in matches we witness is so intense and rapid!
A few examples would be James Hopes, Callum Ferguson, Doug Bollinger and even a bloke like Nathan Hauritz. Sure, you will remember these guys and obviously they?re presently still active within State cricket but I am quite sure that the majority of supporters won?t be able to recall when they were left out, why they were left out or even be able to pinpoint the dates they last featured for Australia.
It?s understandable though to forget about a specific player. We have so many other things in life to remember now, amongst all the various cricket tournaments we get exposed to.
We don?t forget the player, but we may forget their contributions to Australian cricket, or even the risk of forgetting the positive elements of their game they brought to the team. As new players get brought into the side, get accepted and show their true class at the elite level, this is also a valid reason to forget about a certain player, especially if he was in a serious rut for form within a format seen as the pinnacle of the game.
Think of Australia?s fast bowler Mitchell Johnson. You remember Mitch, right?
He was that bloke who tore apart South Africa?s batsmen in a historical game at the WACA in 2008. He also had another dig at them in 2009 where he starred as an emerging all-rounder. He received the ICC Player of the year award in 2009. He took 6/38 against England in a victorious game at the WACA ? an effort during a forgettable Ashes series – and 6/31 versus Sri Lanka in an ODI played in 2011 (4th best figures in Australian ODI history). A short biography here ought to spark some other memories!
The problem with this picture is that it was distorted with unbelievable inconsistency which ended up having a massive impact on the Australian side in a negative manner, clouding Johnson?s brilliance on his days. The problem with Johnson?s awesome abilities was simply because those days of brilliance were too infrequent. His off days were sour and drew hyped up media criticism. Supporters will recall more tough days at the office than good ones, which is sadly true in the bizarre case of Mitchell Johnson.
Mitch pumped up versus Sri Lanka ? AFPIn Mitchell?s last 10 tests, which I see as relevant indication to form beyond the stats, he took 27 wickets but this came at an average of 48.85. Mitchell?s control was shaky and became worse, he had struggled to separate an unfortunate personal incident from his career, he?d also adjusted his run up considerably in his last few appearances – an immediate observation by professionals owing to a confidence problem – and he was just too inconsistent between his best and his worst. This was not helping the consistency required for Australia?s test bowlers to move forward as they strived to advance back to the number 1 rank. It?s a harsh reality but a valid one and this is coming from a loyal supporter.Mitchell Johnson?s ?hot and cold? nature of bowling simply seems to be no longer suited for Australian test cricket, especially with the seniors Peter Siddle, Ben Hilfenhaus and Ryan Harris having led the bowling attack incredibly during the victorious 4-0 Border-Gavaskar series.
Control, consistency and an ability to strategically build pressure together was the key to their success, something history would show Johnson would have struggled to follow.
Then there?s the burst of young talented bowlers, such as; James Pattinson (current Baggy Green representative), Patty Cummins, Ben Cutting, Alister McDermott, Jackson Bird, Nathan Coluter-Nile and Josh Hazlewood. All of them stand out as recognised emerging players of the future.
I bring this up as when Australia’s bowling future is spoken of, most of the above mentioned players come up with the exception of Mitchell Johnson. The impression seems that outside of the team he’s fallen off the radar in a very short space of time with general opinion.</p>I don?t see a return to test cricket being on the radar for Mitchell Johnson, at least any time soon.
With all the cricket we?ve been exposed to since his final series against South Africa in November 2011 (series was tied 1-1), it?s understandable why Mitchell may have become a ?forgotten player? of Australian cricket, especially after the way the bowling unit performed during the Australian summer. It was a daunting, exciting display to watch and this was an attack that featured a balance of experience and youth. One can?t forget the effort prior to the summer by Patrick Cummins during Mitchell’s last test series. It was a performance which showed us that the young guys have the goods to compete with the seniors. James Pattinson has done this outstandingly!
It?s not all doom and gloom for Mitchell, in my opinion. I always look at the positives and while I don?t see a return to test cricket for him as a foreseeable one, I do believe he has that X factor for limited overs cricket. If you like to use stats in your debates, Mitchell?s stats are about to do the talking.
In his last 20 ODIs played for Australia (bearing in mind he is out due to injury as opposed to having been dropped) Mitchell Johnson took 37 wickets at an average of 19.86.
In his 11 games post-World Cup he took 23 wickets at an average of 19.26.
The top it off, he was our leading wicket taker for the period of 2011 with 39 wickets at a world-class average of 20.94.
In his ODI series post the 2010/11 Ashes series he averaged:
23.83 versus England in Australia, 23.10 in the ICC 2011 World Cup, 20.57 versus Bangladesh, 8.25 versus New Zealand, 16.90 versus Sri Lanka and 22.60 versus South Africa.
During those 20 matches I listed with the 37 wickets claimed, Australia won 15, lost 4 (included the massive loss to India in the 2011 World Cup) and had a no result in 1 match.
These stats are a true reflection of his performances. In a game where batsmen dominate, having a bowler who can provide a bit of inconsistency ? a politer or more tactical word may be ?unpredictability? ? is a good secret weapon to have. Mitchell can bowl unplayable yorkers, bang a ball bloody hard into the batting deck and extract bounce from most tracks. He has raw pace and lures batsmen to take him on at times. When he has a bit of swing on offer he?s a handful to combat for most batsmen, very often unplayable.
In a nutshell, his bowling attributes seem credible for limited overs cricket and his statistics indicate that upon his return to cricket, he should be given the opportunity to return to the limited overs setup where recently the bowlers have had some difficulties.
The observation of Mitchell?s natural abilities and his statistics give a clear indication for the supporters that he is best suited to limited overs cricket and can provide successful input for the side to get the required output. It is a format which allows him to limit the gap between his best and worst, whereas the harsh nature of test cricket doesn?t allow him this opportunity. Having also watched quite a lot of his bowling performances in his most recent ODIs I have recorded and this all seems valid.
As an emerging all-rounder, Mitchell also has the ability to bat with aggression and caution, making him an extremely useful lower order batsman in ODI cricket.
The big question is do you remember all of this? Do you remember the aspects that made Mitchell Johnson such an interesting talking point for the cricket enthusiast?
This should get your memory banks back in motion but anyone can be forgiven for having forgotten about him, either because the inconsistency drove you up the wall, or because the modern day game sees so much cricket played.? Top class performances have been produced by many of Australia?s current bowlers too.
The last point is one Mitchell Johnson would have had time to explore within him. Does he have the self-belief to return?
Darren Berry, the coach of the South Australian Redbacks, wrote an article stating that a player needs to have that ?look in his eye? to show he has the self-belief that he is the man for the job. In his capacity as coach he states that he can instantly see this in a player.
As a non-professional I will boldly say that when I see Mitchell Johnson in the green and gold gear, there is a look about him. It?s a confident look, it?s a look in his eye when he gets a wicket that he is the man for the job and has the drive and hunger for more. In test cricket, I don?t see it. I also don?t sense it in his body language, if anything he looked run down in the whites, tired of the struggle. This is just a close observation. Maybe Berry has a highly valid point?
Australia?s bowling has entered a new era. It is one that you will all be able to fondly remember if you cast your mind back to the summer. The key as a supporter is to remember which of these players contribute to this transition and that you don?t forget where each and every player has played his role. It can be invaluable in the long run and Mitchell Johnson should be no exception to be able to contribute to this in a specific format if he is to make a return.
He is in the Mumbai Indians team for the Indian Premier League (IPL), so hopefully he gets a few games in there to make people remember who Mitchell Johnson is.
Maybe, just maybe, he will be able to gain the confidence of the new selection panel in the not too distant future to get a re-call to the ODI Squad and remind the supporters about Mitchell.
Mitchell Johnson is a bowler, who has had a history of bleak performances and disappointed supporters with his inconsistency, but he?s also a bowler who tries his utmost best and when he has that look about him to play at his best for Australia he can deliver unforgettable performances, making him hard to forget about.
This article is from The Baggy Green Blog!
Thanks for reading this article written by Ian.
To comment on this article, click here.
@BaggyGreenBlog
@Ianbaggygreen
@SylvesterAu
@Dan_Stapo
More...
