- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
After a dominant display on Australian shores last season, Mitchell Johnson had the cricketing world at his feet. Endless awards, a big rise in the Cricket Australia pay stakes, and a run of KFC ads were his for the taking.
Unfortunately, like most things Mitchell Johnson-related, it wasn’t that simple.
This summer Johnson turned out a series of surprisingly feeble returns against an Indian side renowned for mediocre away Test performances.
Overall, there was only one devastating spell from Mitch in his latest Test appearances, and none of the match-winning, destructive terror on display from the moustachioed madman.
It has since emerged that Johnson has been dealing with personal issues, which saw him miss the final Test against India and all games in the subsequent ODI tri-series.
Perhaps this was a contributing factor to Johnson’s drop in consistent pace and effectiveness in his final three Tests for 2014, but the signs are worrying nonetheless.
Peter Siddle, several years younger than Mitch, was once again sent to the sidelines this summer for a lack of pace and penetration at international level.
The selectors clearly have a pace prototype in mind. Unless Johnson can conjure a strong return to form against the West Indies in May, there is a chance he won’t make it through the following Ashes series this winter.
Such a thought was unimaginable this time last year. Then, Johnson was boosting the careers of many English sports psychologists after wreaking utter havoc in an unexpected 5-0 whitewash. While no f***ing arms were broken, many nightmares were suffered by the Old Enemy, and Mitch seemed set to dominate for years to follow.
While the great Dennis Lillee predicted a tremendous international career for Johnson from a young age, it has instead been a journey with more ups and downs than an Eastern European currency.
When Mitch and his mo are firing, they are a deadly combination, striking fear in the hearts of batsmen across the globe. Unfortunately, if the radar is off or the mo doesn’t meet handlebar regulations, Johnson’s effectiveness often falls away dramatically.
Hopefully the fire and sheer terror that surrounded Mitchell Johnson throughout the 2013-14 season will return in coming months, and he will be able to finish his career strongly, and on his own terms.
With a number of young, hungry fast bowlers nipping at their heels, Mitch and his fellow senior pacemen will need to maintain strong form in the coming years to keep the wolves at bay. Let’s hope the mojo returns shortly, and Johnson finishes his career with a roar, not a whimper.
Build your own fantasy cricket team and put it to the test with Draftstars daily fantasy competitions. Pick your match, pick your team and watch the points roll in to take out cash prizes on each match. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit.