Mitch Johnson will pip Wasim Akram and become most successful left-arm bowler - Waqar Younis

[rocky_g]

Mitch Johnson will pip Wasim Akram and become most successful left-arm bowler - Waqar Younis

PAKISTAN pace legend Waqar Younis says Mitchell Johnson will eventually surge past Wasim Akram to become Test cricket's most successful left-arm fast bowler.

Waqar said he had "no doubt" that the Australian strike weapon would exceed Akram's 414 wickets before his Test career was over.

Johnson, 28, has taken 142 Test wickets from 31 Tests at 51.88 - superior to Akram's career strike rate of 54.65.

"Nobody is better than Wasim but I have no doubt that if Johnson stays fit he will take more than 400 Test wickets, maybe a fair bit more," Waqar said.

"Johnson's record is superb and I think it shows he will have a great Test career.

"He is probably at his best right now but there is no reason he can't play for another five or six years, which will means he will take a lot of Test wickets."

Johnson needs only 45 wickets to beat Alan Davison (186 Test wickets) as Australia's most successful left-arm quick.

He will then have only Akram and fellow left-armers Sri Lankan Chaminda Vaas (355) and Indian quick Zaheer Khan (220) ahead of him.

Johnson recovered from almost being dropped during last year's Ashes series to be the world's best-performed paceman with 63 Test wickets in 2009.

Despite no longer taking the new ball, Johnson said he was still the leader of an attack containing Peter Siddle (16 Tests) and Doug Bollinger (five Tests).

"I've played 30 games and some of the guys coming through now have only played a few so I feel that's my responsibility to speak to those guys about conditions and the guys that we are playing against," Johnson said.

"It's about showing guys on and off the field to go at 100 per cent and I guess speaking to the guys about knowledge that I now have about the game.

"Going through England was a good test for me and that helped me get to where I am now.

"Guys like Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee talk about peak age being around 27 or 28 or 29. I feel like I'm starting to get to know my game a hell of a lot better than I have in the past."

Waqar said Johnson's slinging action was "short and sweet" and often produce unplayable deliveries.

"There is no reason he can't hold onto it," he said.

"He is the best bowler in Australia since Brett Lee came onto the scene."

Mitch Johnson will pip Wasim Akram and become most successful left-arm bowler, according to Waqar Younis | Herald Sun

 

[MaD]

He's definitely in the top 3 current test bowlers, i'm sure he'll continue to play well if he stays fit, but I don't think he'll be able exceed Wasim's wickets.

 

[rocky_g]

He's definitely in the top 3 current test bowlers, i'm sure he'll continue to play well if he stays fit, but I don't think he'll be able exceed Wasim's wickets.

One other factor which made Wasim Akram lethal and dangerous was the presence of Waqar Younis at the other end.

 

[Aoun13]

Mitch is really a fine bowler,but this statement is bit overrated I guess.Mitch does have some edge due to present conditions and country.
1 He will play much more the Wasim in Australia,England and South Africa, all are very good for bowlers.
2 He will not bowls to Great batsmen e.g Lara,Waugh brothers,Flower brothers,Ganguly in its prime form,Gilchrist,Hayden,Langer,Sachin(most probably he will play one more series against him) etc etc.
I am not saying that he will only bowl to crapy batsmen but you all know how these batsmen batted.

send2yaari added 0 Minutes and 51 Seconds later...

One other factor which made Wasim Akram lethal and dangerous was the presence of Waqar Younis at the other end.

Yup very good point.

 

[TumTum]

If he stays fit, he'll come close.

TumTum added 13 Minutes and 40 Seconds later...

Mitch is really a fine bowler,but this statement is bit overrated I guess.Mitch does have some edge due to present conditions and country.
1 He will play much more the Wasim in Australia,England and South Africa, all are very good for bowlers.
2 He will not bowls to Great batsmen e.g Lara,Waugh brothers,Flower brothers,Ganguly in its prime form,Gilchrist,Hayden,Langer,Sachin(most probably he will play one more series against him) etc etc.
I am not saying that he will only bowl to crapy batsmen but you all know how these batsmen batted.

You forgot to mention that bowling conditions were better in the 90s. Also the longer boundaries and worse bats than these days. And that Wasim Akram didn't bowl against better teams as much as Mitch is doing.

 

[rocky_g]

If he stays fit, he'll come close.

TumTum added 13 Minutes and 40 Seconds later...



You forgot to mention that bowling conditions were better in the 90s. Also the longer boundaries and worse bats than these days. And that Wasim Akram didn't bowl against better teams as much as Mitch is doing.

In subcontinent?

 

[TumTum]

In subcontinent?

With the reverse swing controversy and all...

 

[Robelinda]

Mitch is good. Some people just dont like it when a modern player is mentioned is compared favourably to an all time great. Wasim got 414 wickets, that number is great, but many bowlers will get that past that in the future, doesnt mean they are better bowlers. I guess we'll see over time.

 

[Cricketdude]

Mitchell Johnson can become an all time great.

 

[TumTum]

Mitchell Johnson can become an all time great.

Doubt it.

 

[Aoun13]

If he stays fit, he'll come close.

TumTum added 13 Minutes and 40 Seconds later...



You forgot to mention that bowling conditions were better in the 90s. Also the longer boundaries and worse bats than these days. And that Wasim Akram didn't bowl against better teams as much as Mitch is doing.

Wasim bowls more two those who are and were legends of this game with bat.Pitches were excellent for spinners but poor for a fast bowler and of subcontinent.There was nothing for a seemer that's why bowlers started to be expert in reverse swing.

 

[Dare]

Mitchell Johnson can become an all time great.

In his dreams, or yours maybe.


Mitch is 28 and has had a few injury problems. Wasim started his career much earlier and was/is the absolute master of swing, while Johnson can get only a small amount of swing. Also Wasim bowled in the subcontinent and dominated. Surprisingly the only place he averaged 30+ with the ball was South Africa but he only played 2 tests there, after that its 28.7 in England.
Mitch is a good bowler and only time will tell where he will stack up with the greats but I have a feeling that he will break down towards the end like Lee. The huge amount of cricket that Australia play will take a toll on his body.

 

[Cricketman]

And then there's the fact that Mitch gets 90% of his wickets off short, wide, wayward deliveries that batsman somehow end up nicking. Compare that to Wasim who had infinite variations, mastered the art of swing, and got the ball to do entirely different things with the tiniest change in his action/delivery stride.

 

[TumTum]

And then there's the fact that Mitch gets 90% of his wickets off short, wide, wayward deliveries that batsman somehow end up nicking.

I don't think the stuff that comes out of your ass are called facts.

 

[Dare]

And then there's the fact that Mitch gets 90% of his wickets off short, wide, wayward deliveries that batsman somehow end up nicking.

The reason he gets most of those wickets is because nowadays most of the time he seems to be batting at the last 5. Not the top order.