Mitchell Johnson

[aussie1st]

I don't buy it, Lee showed some great form against New Zealand and then went back to his worst against quality opposition the next series (SAF). I think Lee and Johnson have a similar chance of swinging it really - only when conditions are right and luck is going their way.

Lee has a better chance of swinging it because his action is a lot more settled compared to Johnson. His wrist position is a lot better. As for his inconsistent form, he had a poor summer but the season before he showed his consistency including 24 wickets in 4 matches at 22 during India's tour of Aus in 07/08 a quality opposition. All you can go on is current form, and he was the best bowler in the tour matches so deserved a chance to show what he could do.

 

[Jakester1288]

Stuart Clarke is the mixture of Pup and Clark.

That player would be one of the best allrounders ever. A really good batsmen, really good bowler, and an awesome fielder. That would be so good!

Argh that pisses me off. People that spell Stuey Clark wit an e and Michael Clarke without it. One of the small things that really get to me.

Same here. Pet hate of mine. If I don't know how to spell a cricketers name, I look it up before posting. It takes a few seconds, and comes across better.

 

[SciD]

Time to develop mystery injury.

 

[iridescentt]

Apparently Wasim Akram himself is offering to help Johnson with his bowling.

Pick up the phone and dial, Mitch.

 

[Eon]

hell yea... that would be pretty good coaching, since johnson has the talent and the potential. And i dont think australia has the best bowling coach, when he came in almost everyone stopped swinging the ball. But is that for real or is that smoke up my a55

 

[aussie1st]

Yea its true

Help, if wanted, was also forthcoming from Wasim Akram, the former Pakistan fast bowler based in Manchester, who felt that Johnson could sacrifice swing for accuracy early in his spells.

"If you don't have a straight arm it's very difficult to get wickets in England because everything is swinging away from the right-hander and going down the leg side to the left-hander," Akram told the Sydney Morning Herald.

"He should stick to his natural strength as a left-armer and when he gets his rhythm, then he should try different things … I have been through this patch, Glenn McGrath has been through this patch. It's very simple, just get his arm straight in the nets and he will come back to it."

http://www.cricinfo.com/engvaus2009/content/story/416297.html

The great men sum it up nicely. Who better than McGrath and Akram to give advise.

 

[Themer]

And i dont think australia has the best bowling coach

I would disagree. Troy Cooley, it is still him isn't it?, is a really good coach. He pretty much taught the England bowling attack of 2005 how to bowl fast and with reverse swing and was big piece in the jigsaw for us.

 

[RoboRocks]

Johnson shouldn't play. Clark will cause far more problems, certainly if the pitch will offer assistance.

 

[dajesmac]

Johnson simply cannot handle the duke ball. That's my theory. The seam is huge compared to the kookaburra which is affecting his release,making it a scrambled seam and making it drift down leg.

With the kookaburra he destroyed South Africa and played some good cricket in the World twenty20 and in the warm ups.

He HAS to be dropped though, Clark should come in, Siddle, Hilfy and Ritzy to stay.

Also, I agree Steyn is better than Johnson.

 

[Jakester1288]

Johnson simply cannot handle the duke ball. That's my theory. The seam is huge compared to the kookaburra which is affecting his release,making it a scrambled seam and making it drift down leg.

With the kookaburra he destroyed South Africa and played some good cricket in the World twenty20 and in the warm ups.

He HAS to be dropped though, Clark should come in, Siddle, Hilfy and Ritzy to stay.

Also, I agree Steyn is better than Johnson.

So you are saying, when he goes to Australia or a country where the Kookaburra is used, he should be selected in the team?

It sounds a bit stupid selecting a player on what ball you use, purely because he can't use one. He needs to work on it, because I still think he will be in our next Ashes squad to England, if he keeps up his previous form, and stays injury free (something I doubt he will do).

 

[mrtwisties]

Is Johnson getting too old for us to keep talking about his "potential"? Surely he's the finished product by now.

 

[Cricketdude]

He reached his potential in South Africa and now he's dropped off so he's obviously not playing to his potential.

 

[King Pietersen]

Johnson is really struggling, and it must be horrible for him. The Aussie selectors need to drop him though. Forget what he did in SA, he's been woeful on this tour, and been comprehensively outbowled by every other bowler in the Aussie squad, even McDonald and Watson have outperformed him. Johnson only getting 1 tail-end wicket on a track that was abit up and down (or so I heard anyway) is not acceptable. From an English perspective I'd like him
to play at Edgbaston though =]

 

[aussie1st]

Johnson would have been better off not playing the tour match, he has better figures against England than Northants and a better economy!

 

[OffCutters]

I dont want Mitch to be in the team for the 3rd Test, put McDonald or Watson in for him if Lee isnt ready yet.