Magic Mitchell Johnson

The 2010-2011 Ashes series received a much needed injection today.  For the Aussies, it was a life saving injection.  For cricket and the series, Australia’s fight back is a good thing.  And who should provide the injection than the much maligned Mitchell Johnson.  What an enigma he is.  Jekyll and Hyde.  Hot and cold.  On air, Roebuck remarked that with Johnson, the gap between his best and his worst is a very long way, with nothing much in between.  Indeed.

Australia followed a lack lustre day one with more of the same at the start of day two.  An edge passed between keeper and first slip and nobody laid a hand on the ball.  In fact, nobody moved.  England progressed to 0/78 with relative ease. And then Johnson struck.  He routed England with a spell of 4/7 in five overs.  The incredible thing was the manner of dismissal – three lbws – beautiful, late in-swingers to the right handers.

It was South Africa (Durban) all over again.  How long we have waited for a repeat performance.  The second lbw today, Pietersen for a duck, was referred – surely Johnson could not have swung it that much.  But he did.  The third, Collingwood for 2, was not even initially given.  It tricked the umpire – surely it could have swung that much.  But it did.

Firstly, I will say that I was wrong – the selectors were obviously right to select Johnson for this Test.  Not only did he finish the innings with 6-38, we should not forget that he was the top scorer of the match at the half point.  Secondly, I might sound like an Aussie crowing with a bit of Australian success.  And I won’t lie – they is part of it.  But cricket needs champion bowlers and Johnson today was a world beater.  Last night, Morkel and Steyn cut down the Indians.  Cricket needs more of it as the batsmen, in general, have it too easy.

Johnson’s spell before lunch was electrifying.  It doesn’t matter where your allegiances lie, if you didn’t find that exciting, check if you have a pulse.  It was series changing.  One man lifted a whole team.  Even Aggers, who admits he has never seen Johnson bowl like that, was excited by Johnson’s efforts.

Australia still has a multitude of worries,  Make no mistake.  But they have an 81 first innings lead and are building on that worryingly for England.  One of Australia’s worries is Johnson himself.  He needs to perform like today for extended periods.  Perhaps he will now enter a purple patch.  In South Africa he was a world beater with both and ball.  And that is how it will always be with him – he is a confidence player.  The key will be his minders.  They obviously did something right between Brisbane and Perth – perhaps you could argue it was overdue.

However Johnson performs, he will not be able to do it alone.  Most wickets will not offer the same assistance as Perth.  In that area, Australia has a lot of work ahead of them.  But the work immediately at hand is with the bat.  What will the third day of this fast-moving, excellent Test match hold?

The King of Fools

England players must be licking their lips tonight.  Today, Australia announced the 12 man squad for the Perth Test.   There were no surprises about the three players who were axed.   And the rumour mill proved correct about most of the selections but there was one major surprise:  Beer may be served to the Englishmen at Perth.  The Barmy Army will be downing pints in the bleachers while their countrymen feast on Beer out in the centre.

As usual, while trying to sound wise and measured, Andrew Hilditch continued to demonstrate a total lack of cerebral matter today when naming in the side the little known, left arm orthodox spinner, Michael Beer.

From Cricinfo http://www.espncricinfo.com/the-ashes-2010-11/content/current/story/491111.html

“Michael Beer replaces Xavier Doherty in the squad,” Australia’s chairman of selectors, Andrew Hilditch, said. “Michael is a left-arm orthodox spinner who has been very impressive at domestic level this year. He took wickets against England in the tour match earlier this summer and we expect he will bowl very well against the English on his home ground.”

But Hilditch’s comments seemingly ignore the fact that the WACA has been Beer’s home ground for only a few months, after he moved from Victoria during the off-season.

I would also add “two wickets” – big deal.  I made the point recently that selectors try to look for threads and glimmers of hope, while ignoring the bigger picture.

I think Bollinger should have been retained.  It was stated that he needs to work on fitness and that he tailed away during last match.  However, Doug is returning from injury and given that he has been Australia’s best bowler for 12 months, you would think it good that he came through the last Test match (and he was only equal worst).  That Test match could be regarded as an investment in building his match fitness.  He should have been sent to Perth for a fresh start on a more helpful deck.

On the other hand, Johnson has been dropped and looks set to return without bowling a ball since being dropped.  In fact, CA insisted that he be rested from the Queensland side in the Shield match that started today.  It beggars belief.  However, some 20 year old called Neser took 4/42 so I guess that puts him in contention for Melbourne.

Phillip Hughes strolls back into the side without earning it.  True, he scored 80 against England in a tour match but that has been his only score this entire summer.  I hope he proves me wrong but the Poms sorted him out in England with tactics that will be aided by the WACA pitch.  It just makes no sense to me.  I appreciate that some players are special and should be persevered with but surely they must be in form in Shield cricket before being launched into Test cricket.

Why the selectors picked Beers is mysterious.  As stated, Johnson has been reselected with no justification. I’m not a Horrie fan but fair is fair.  Horrie has played two shield games, taken a “five for” plus other wickets and scored a century and some nobody is preferred over him.  Were the selectors too proud to go back to Hauritz?  Who knows?

As North has not been replaced with a batsman, it seems certain that Steve Smith will play (probably with Haddin batting at six).  It might be that Beers is 12^th man and Australia plays four quicks.  Either way, it is hard to see Australia troubling England.

I don’t expect miracles.  I think it is likely that there is nothing that the selectors can do to win back the Ashes on this occasion.  And when there are no obvious saviours, we all have our own ideas about the best course of action.   But it would be nice if the selectors showed a small amount of common sense.   Which is unlikely while that clown Hilditch is in charge.