Mitchell Johnson (cricketer)

Mitchell Johnson

Personal information
Full name	Mitchell Guy Johnson
Born	2 November 1981 (1981-11-02) (age 30) Townsville, Queensland, Australia
Nickname	Notch, Midge, Chomps
Height	1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Batting style	Left-hand
Bowling style	Left-arm fast
Role	Bowling All-rounder
International information
National side	Australia
Test debut (cap 398)	8 November 2007 v Sri Lanka
Last Test	17 November 2011 v South Africa
ODI debut (cap 156)	10 December 2005 v New Zealand
Last ODI	28 October 2011 v South Africa
ODI shirt no.	25
T20I debut (cap 24)	12 September 2007 v Zimbabwe
Last T20I	8 August 2011 v Sri Lanka
Domestic team information
Years	Team
2001–2008	Queensland
2008 –	Western Australia
Career statistics
Competition	Tests	ODIs	FC	List A
Matches	47	107	80	131
Runs scored	1,287	708	2,095	806
Batting average	21.81	17.70	23.02	17.91
100s/50s	1/6	0/2	2/10	0/2
Top score	123*	73*	123*	73*
Balls bowled	10,672	5,234	16,405	6,554
Wickets	190	168	302	198
Bowling average	31.29	25.22	30.76	26.76
5 wickets in innings	7	3	12	3
10 wickets in match	2	0	3	0
Best bowling	8/61	6/31	8/61	6/31
Catches/stumpings	13/–	24/–	20/–	27/–
Source: Cricinfo, 22 November 2011

Mitchell Guy Johnson (born 2 November 1981) is an Australian cricketer. He is a left-arm fast bowler and left-handed batsman. He was awarded the International Cricket Council's 2009 "Cricketer of the Year" award, the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy.

Career

When attending a fast-bowling clinic in Brisbane at age 17, former Test fast-bowler Dennis Lillee identified him as a "once-in-a-lifetime prospect".^[1] Lillee contacted former team mate Rod Marsh and arranged for Johnson to join the Australian Cricket Academy in Adelaide.^[1]

Johnson fields in a tour match against Northamptonshire during the 2009 Ashes

Johnson subsequently played for the Australian Under-19 side that toured England in 1999, however recurrent back injuries hampered his prospects. He recovered to start his first-class career two years later, when he was selected to play state cricket for his native Queensland. Playing for Queensland against New Zealand, Johnson hit a six off the first ball he faced in first-class cricket. In September 2005, he was in the Australia A cricket team that toured Pakistan.

Johnson switched from the Queensland Bulls to the Western Warriors on 25 July 2008.^[2]

Tests

Johnson was chosen to be in the squad for the first Ashes Test beginning on 23 November 2006, but was 12th man in all of the games. On 10 November 2007, while making his Australian Test match debut against Sri Lanka at his home ground in Brisbane, Johnson took his first wicket, that of Thilan Samaraweera, caught by Adam Gilchrist. Johnson went on to take 4/96.

On 19 January 2008, Johnson scored his first ever Test half-century, against India in Perth, having been both dropped and bowled off a no ball, although Australia ended up losing the match.

On the second day of the First Test against South Africa in Perth on 18 December 2008 Johnson took seven wickets for just 42 runs, including five wickets for two runs near the close, to reduce the tourists from 3/234 to 8/243. He ended with 8/61 the next day. Later in the series he made 64 batting with Michael Clarke.

The 2009 tour to South Africa saw an important development in Johnson's armoury, the ability to consistently swing the ball into the right-hander, which he previously had struggled to achieve. During the First Test, on 27 February 2009, Johnson scored 96 not out, to help Australia post 466 all out. This included one over in which he scored 26 runs off the bowling of Paul Harris, hitting two fours and three sixes, the last of which carried out of the stadium and broke the record for the most runs in an over for Australia in a Test match. He also took eight wickets with the ball.

In the Second Test, he unleashed a fiery spell of fast bowling that gained him two wickets in his first over, and three in his first spell, as well as sending both Jacques Kallis and Graeme Smith off, retired hurt. After this, notable cricket commentator Peter Roebuck described him as the best fast bowler in the world.

In the Third Test, with Australia almost defeated, he struck 123 not out, reaching triple figures in only 86 balls. With tail-ender Bryce McGain for company, Johnson decided to take on the bowling and struck Dale Steyn for six to reach his century. Although Australia went on to lose the Test match by an innings, Johnson was named man of the series, with 16 wickets and over 250 runs in 3 matches.

During the 2009 Ashes tour he was criticised for his poor bowling and his lack of control. Johnson's position as spearhead of the Australian seam-attack was called into question, with match figures of 3/200 in second Test at Lords and his demotion to first-change bowler in Australia's tour game against Northamptonshire. In the match against Northamptonshire, he returned 1/107 from 18.1 overs as Australia won by 135 runs.^[3] Despite his poor form he was selected for the third Test.^[4] Johnson consequently re-discovered some form in the fourth test taking 5/69 in the second-innings.^[5]

Johnson bowling in the Adelaide Oval nets, January 2009

Johnson appeared to get back to his best towards the end of 2009, earning praise from captain Ricky Ponting during the summer series against both West Indies and Pakistan. He finished the year as the worlds top wicket taker (63), and also became the first Australian to take 50 wickets and score 500 runs in a calendar year.^[6]

In the 2010–11 Ashes series Johnson took more wickets than any other Australian with 15 (36.93) even though he played only 4 Tests. In the First Test at the Gabba he was hit for 0/170 in the match and was so out of form that he was dropped. Returning for the Third Test at the WACA he hit 62, took 6/38 and 4/44 was instrumentental in Australia's 267 run victory. However, his wayward bowling returned and Johnson became increasingly affected by the chanting of the Barmy Army whenever he bowled; "He bowls to the left, He bowls to the right, That Mitchell Johnson, His bowling is shite". In the Fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground 20,000 England fans sung this as he walked to the crease and he made a first ball duck as England won by an innings to retain the Ashes.

One Day Cricket

In December 2005, Johnson was selected for the Australian One Day International team, making his debut against New Zealand in Christchurch, with chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns justifying his selection on the grounds of grooming players for the future.

Johnson gave the first signs of his potential at international level against the strong Indian batting line-up in a One Day International in Malaysia, Johnson's 7th. He took 4/11 off just 4 overs, including the wickets of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh. Johnson then played in the Australian 2006 ICC Champions Trophy team, and in the group A match against England he took 3/40, including Kevin Pietersen. On 26 January 2007, Johnson took 4 wickets in 8 balls during the seventh match of the CB Series against England, for which he earned Man of the Match honours. In October 2007 Johnson helped Australia seal the ODI series in India. He finished as the top wicket-taker with 14 wickets, which showed his abilities, even on the slow pitches of the sub-continent.^[7] In the fifth ODI at Vadodara he took 5/26, his first international five wicket haul.

Australia came into the Champions Trophy ranked second in ODIs; along with being the event's reigning champions.^[8] They opened their campaign against an undermanned West Indian outfit who were without prominent players because of an industrial dispute.^[9] After being put into bat, Australia fell to 7/172 after 40 overs, before finishing on 8/275 in 50 overs as the pitch flattened out. Johnson scored a career best 73 not out, as Australia scored 69 runs from their batting Powerplay (between overs 44 and 49). In an innings which produced "fierce, clean hitting", Johnson struck three sixes and eight fours in his quick-fire 47 ball innings. Although Johnson went wicketless in the West Indian innings, he secured the man of the match award as Australia won by 50 runs.^[10][11]

Awards

Australia

• 2006 ICC Champions Trophy
• 2007 Cricket World Cup
• 2009 ICC Champions Trophy

Individual

• Player of the Series vs. South Africa 2008–09
• Johnson was named the 2009 ICC Cricketer of the Year award at the 2009 LG ICC Awards.^[12]

Test Centuries

Test Match Centuries of Mitchell Johnson
#	Runs	Match	Against	City/Country	Venue	Year
1	123*	21	South Africa	Cape Town, South Africa	Newlands Cricket Ground	2009

Personal life

Johnson is reportedly married to karate black belt and model Jessica Bratich.^[13]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Townsville Bulletin: Mitch's big wait over
2. ^ Cricinfo: Johnson moves to Western Australia
3. ^ Alex Brown. Johnson's Edgbaston hopes recede. Cricinfo. http://www.cricinfo.com/countycricket2009/content/current/story/416471.html. Retrieved 2009-07-31. 
4. ^ Chappell, Ian (18 July 2009). "The Ashes: Mitchell Johnson and Phillip Hughes are causing Australia problems". The Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/theashes/5859060/The-Ashes-Mitchell-Johnson-and-Phillip-Hughes-are-causing-Australia-problems.html. Retrieved 12 May 2010. 
5. ^ http://www.cricinfo.com/engvaus2009/content/story/418889.html
6. ^ http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/mitchell-johnson-still-taking-wickets-as-first-change-bowler/story-e6frg7rx-1225814854877
7. ^ Australia in India ODI Series, 2007/08 – Most Wickets, Cricinfo, Retrieved 18 October 2007
8. ^ "More mismatch than rematch", Cricinfo, 26 September 2009, accessed 27 September 2009
9. ^ "Under-strength Windies worry Ponting", Trinidad News, 25 September 2009, accessed 26 September 2009
10. ^ "Johnson's runs 'proved vital' – Ponting", Cricinfo, 27 September 2009, accessed 27 September 2009
11. ^ "Australia survive West Indies scare", Cricinfo, 26 September 2009, accessed 27 September 2009
12. ^ "Johnson named 2009's best cricketer". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2009-10-02. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/10/02/2702634.htm. Retrieved 2009-10-02. 
13. ^ Epstein, Jackie (21 February 2010). "Jessica Bratich plays it straight". Sunday Herald Sun (News Limited). http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/jessica-bratich-plays-it-straight/story-e6frf96f-1225830035018. Retrieved 7 August 2010. 

External links

• Cricinfo page on Mitchell Johnson
• Johnson decides against IPL

Awards
Preceded by Shivnarine Chanderpaul	Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy 2009	Succeeded by Sachin Tendulkar

Persondata
Name	Johnson, Mitchell
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	2 November 1981
Place of birth	Townsville, Queensland
Date of death
Place of death