Australia have rediscovered their ruthless edge and it’s all thanks to calculated sledging, with Mitchell Johnson raising the stakes by labelling Kevin Pietersen a “smart arse”.
Pietersen, in his bid to get into the head of Johnson, has been overly chummy towards the Australian pace ace, twice asking him for his phone number in recent days.
Johnson rejected Pietersen’s request on both occasions before snaring 6-38 to leave Australia in the box seat after two days of action in the third Test at the WACA Ground.
“I didn’t give him my phone number, that’s for sure,” Johnson said.
“I don’t think he was being friendly, no. I think he was being a bit of a smart arse.
“I was pretty happy to get his wicket today.”
Australia have fought a battle within to both contain and channel their natural aggression since the final day of the 2008 New Year’s Test against India at the SCG, when a last-gasp victory concluded a fractious match.
Indian skipper Anil Kumble’s view that “only one team was playing in the spirit of the game” and the subsequent public outcry horrified Cricket Australia, and it was a visibly muted home team that lost the next Test in Perth.
Johnson, who has been engaged in a running battle with England paceman James Anderson, said that ever since that match the Australians have struggled to find the right level for verbal and physical intimidation.
“We definitely did back off for a period there,” Johnson said.
“We’ve sort of been up and down with it to be honest.
“I had a bit of an incident with Scott Styris in NZ and there’s been a few others along the way.
“We sort of cop a fair bit of stick for it (sledging) and then sort of go back into our shells a little bit.
“I guess you look at the times we do play well and when we’ve got that bit of fire about us we do play well.
“That’s what we’ve tried to do here, get really involved in the match but not overstep the line.
“I spoke to Brad Haddin about it and Peter Siddle as well, who’s a very fiery character.
“If we can get right up in their faces a bit more … we did that very well today. I think it definitely works for us.”
When asked which one out of Pietersen and Anderson was a better sledger, Johnson delivered a broadside to both by replying: “Actually I think the better one out of all of them is (Graeme) Swann, he’s a bit more clever with what he says. I’ll leave it at that.”
England batsman Ian Bell described events on the field as the predictable and entertaining result of two desperate teams fighting for the Ashes.
“I didn’t even realise it was all kicking off like that, we thought there was a bit of banter going on, I didn’t realise that Johnson was quite in our faces as much as he thinks he was,” he said.
“I thought the two umpires did a great job and nothing spilled over at all – it’s aggressive Ashes cricket which is what everyone wants to see.”
On the best and most fiery day of the series since its first at the Gabba, a previously impregnable England were rounded up for 187 in reply to Australia’s 268, before the home side pushed to 3-119 at the close for a lead of 200.
Shane Watson (61no) and Mike Hussey (24no) are charged with ensuring Johnson’s startling 6-38, including a pre-lunch burst of 4-7, does not go unrewarded.
Their burgeoning stand followed the second failures in as many days by Phil Hughes (12), captain Ricky Ponting (one) and his deputy Michael Clarke (20).
Hughes showed his outside edge is as vulnerable as his inside, nicking Steven Finn (2-48) into the slips, while Ponting nibbled down the legside for his fifth low score in six Test innings this summer and Clarke’s angled bat dragged Chris Tremlett (1-20) onto the stumps.
The batsmen’s struggles should not detract from Johnson, who proved to everyone present at the WACA ground that the irresistible stuff he produced in South Africa early last year can be more than a one-off.
Resuming at 0-29, the tourists were splintered when Johnson conjured the kind of late inswing he has struggled to find across the past 18 months.
“I didn’t really try to get it to swing today, the thing that worked into my favour was the breeze – it definitely helped,” said Johnson.
“One thing I’ve been working on with (bowling coach) Troy Cooley in the nets and (conditioning coach) Stuart Karppinen was getting my momentum going forward, instead of dropping off to square leg.
“That definitely helped me. It got my arm higher and got my wrist behind the ball a bit better.”
Ryan Harris (3-59) and Peter Siddle (1-25) chimed in while Ben Hilfenhaus (0-53) deserved plaudits for an unrewarded spell in support of Johnson.
Johnson had looked rhythmic in his few overs on the first evening, and he set about England with purpose, pace and movement.
First he prompted a sliced drive to point from Alastair Cook (32), for his first score of less than 67 in the series.
In Johnson’s next over Jonathan Trott (four) was beaten completely by a ball that swung down the line for a clear lbw verdict.
Three balls later he did the same to Pietersen (nought), who reviewed the decision only to find leg stump being knocked over.
Harris then replaced Hilfenhaus with instant results, coaxing another edge from Strauss that this time travelled directly to Haddin.
Paul Collingwood became the third victim of swing when he was nowhere near a delivery that on referral had done just enough to strike him in line, and at the right height.
Matt Prior added a desperate 47 with Ian Bell (53), before Siddle pounded down numerous short balls and a frustrated Prior knocked one onto the stumps.
He gestured angrily at the bowler on his way off.
Swann touched a Harris outswinger through to Haddin, who celebrated his catch in the direction of the Barmy Army.
Bell had made his third attractive half century of the series when Harris coaxed a drive that was sliced high to Ricky Ponting at second slip.
Chris Tremlett lost his off stump to another ball swerving in at him for Johnson’s fifth, and Jimmy Anderson wafted outside off stump to give the bowler his best Test figures since plucking 8-61 against the Proteas on this ground two years ago.
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.
After posting 92 with the bat, the RCB star was having an equally brilliant day in the field.
The RCB opener posted a man-of-the-match 92 off 47, as his side defeated Punjab Kings by 60 runs.
The opener scored a man-of-the-match 89 off 30, in the 10-wicket win against Lucknow Super Giants that came off just 9.4 overs.
Nathan Lyon believes Australia would have won the 2023 Ashes series 4-0 if he hadn't broken down with injury. But the veteran spinner says…
The recent announcement of Australia’s T20 World Cup squad took me back to the 1983 ODI World Cup campaign - one of our great…
