Mitchell Johnson won’t ever forget his final day in a baggy green.
It began with telling the sporting world he was hanging up his boots at the WACA on the last day of the second Test against New Zealand.
There had been rumblings that retirement was on the cards, but the just turned 34-year-old still had a lot to offer with ball, bat, and in the field.
Sadly there were only a few thousand to see off the Townsville-born all-rounder at his adopted home ground, but they welcomed Johnson when he went out to bat with a standing ovation that would have done many thousands proud.
Waiting near the centre was a Black Caps’ guard of honour, with skipper Brendon McCullum’s outstretched hand in salute and respect.
Fitting and emotional to a humble and very talented cricketer.
Johnson has never been one to seek fanfare, not like his previous captain who makes self-promotion an art form. He felt embarrassed and uncomfortable throughout the day, and the standing ovation and guard of honour didn’t help his disposition.
But he played a cameo innings of 29 off 45, and captured only two New Zealand wickets as the Test ended in a high-scoring draw.
So ended a total of 636 matches in three formats for Johnson at international and state level that saw him send down 58,874 deliveries, and bat 528 times.
Not bad for a kid whose first love was tennis with Pete Sampras his idol. That was until cricket legend Dennis Lillee saw the 17-year-old Johnson bowl at a fast bowling clinic in Brisbane.
The rest is history and with it two McGilvray Medals in 2008 and 2009, the ICC’s Cricketer of the the Year in 2009 and 2014, the ICC’s Test Player of the Year in 2014, and the Allan Border Medal in 2014.
All thoroughly deserved.
Statistically, Johnson finished fourth among Australian’s leading Test bowlers:
Shane Warne’s 708 wickets at 25.41.
Glenn McGrath’s 563 at 21.64.
Dennis Lillee’s 355 at 23.92.
Mitchell Johnson’s 313 at 28.40.
Brett Lee’s 310 at 30.81.
Craig McDermott’s 291 at 28.63
Jason Gillespie’s 259 at 26.13.
Richie Benaud’s 248 at 27.03.
And Graham McKenzie’s 246 at 29.78.
His best hauls:
8-61 against South Africa at the WACA in December 2008.
7-40 against England at Adelaide in December 2013.
And 7-68 against South Africa at Centurion in February 2014.
Johnson was no slouch with the bat either with a Test ton and 17 half-centuries to his credit:
123* against South Africa at Cape Town in March 2009.
96* against South Africa at Johannesburg in February 2009.
92* against Sri Lanka at the MCG in December 2012.
And 88 against India at the Gabba in December 2014.
I could go on with a host of other stats that would only keep proving Johnson was a top quality all-rounder who loved his profession, but he’s just had enough.
The wear and tear on his body at his pace over the last 14 years has taken its toll, and while he hasn’t admitted it publicly the constant air travel becomes debilitating.
Johnson will be fondly remembered by all those who had the privilege of playing with him because he’s a champion bloke on and off the field. But there will be many more who played against him who will willingly wish him a happy retirement.
Except those who will face him in the Big Bash and IPL if he decides to have a crack at both with so much extra time on his hands.
But he will be sorely missed at the elite level, best described by Dennis Lillee as a “once-in-nine-lives prospect”.
The mammoth rise of Jake Fraser-McGurk - his enormous potential and the destructive shot-making that he possesses makes him a very tempting option.
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