For a man recently accustomed to dominating matches, Mitchell Johnson’s World Cup has cast him in a support role. He’s played without the aura that made him so feared.
With Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood variously taking the new ball, Johnson has routinely bowled first change.
Aside from four wickets against Afghanistan, he’s been the guy chipping in with one or two per game. He hasn’t had the pitches to terrify batsmen.
He has been vulnerable on occasion, going for 62 from nine overs against Sri Lanka, and 68 from six when New Zealand chased 151.
There was no way that Australia could have been expected to defend that score, but there was still the disparity that while Mitchell Starc’s bowling meant they nearly pulled off a win, Johnson’s ensured they couldn’t.
The scorecard for Australia’s semi-final win against India may not show Johnson as its star – 27 runs and 2/50 are not by their own virtue figures that will echo down the years. But in a game that wavered in the middle of the arm-wrestling table, Johnson forced it to his side.
While Australia batted, the struggle went back and forth all day. India got David Warner early. Steve Smith steadied things with Aaron Finch, but Finch was awkward and subdued, surviving a dozen dodgy moments and soaking up deliveries. With him at the crease India were in the game, but he still managed to build a substantial platform.
From 1/197 in the 35th over, Australia were set for over 350. But India fought persistently: removing Smith, seeing Glenn Maxwell tee off, getting rid of he and Finch in consecutive overs, removing Michael Clarke, Shane Watson and James Faulkner beginning to plunder, then removing them as well.
At 7/298 with two overs left, India were a chance to keep Australia to around 300. Brad Haddin played a dot ball and a single. Ten balls left.
Enter Johnson, with that thwacking drive whose arc is his sovereign trademark. The first ball vanished over mid-on. The next over cover. The third over slip.
A single to end the over, a two and a one to start the next. At that point Haddin drove in the air to deep cover. A catch and India would be in the frame to bowl out one more World Cup side.
They got a drop instead.
More important was the run. Johnson slammed the next ball down the ground for four, the next over midwicket for six. A single to close the innings and he had 27 from nine.
India’s target had blown out to 329, their good work undone. In minutes, Johnson had punctured them.
Then India batted and momentum grew. Early overs were negotiated. Johnson’s second ball, a fast bouncer, was hooked way back into the stands. “Rohit meets fire with TNT!” cheered Cricinfo.
Faulkner was mashed for 16 from an over, 13 from the next. Shikhar Dhawan was out with the score at 76, but with a brisk start on the board – something Brendon McCullum has proved the value of. India’s key man, Virat Kohli, had with that a platform to build on.
Kohli’s first six balls from Johnson yielded one run. His seventh was the bouncer that has served Johnson so well – a slight left-arm slant, seeming to come at the body but heading towards off stump, rising fast.
Kohli hooked. The angle and pace undid him, the top edge inevitable, rising grandstand-high before meeting Haddin’s gloves.
In Johnson’s next over it was Rohit Sharma, again pulling, again smashing into the crowd. A brutal shot, a bold one, Sharma coming off a quarter-final century and standing up to the menace, telling Johnson that India would not be intimidated while he was around.
The next ball was pitched up, scrambled, jagging into him, past the edge and into the stumps. The hissing sound was India, now at 3/91. In minutes, Johnson had punctured them.
As anyone who has dealt with a headmaster’s tyres knows, there’s the kid who does the deflating and the rest of the gang looking on. Johnson doesn’t have the ego issues of most fast bowlers. He’s not slighted by bowling first change, not frustrated by short spells, hasn’t appeared threatened by Starc’s emergence.
But this performance reinforced his potential for primacy.
In sending Australia into a World Cup final, Johnson also resumed centre stage. Smith and Kohli play the same role, each his team’s tyro, the players with the time and space and ability and surety beyond even the other outliers who make up international teams.
In their semi-final contest, Smith made 105. Kohli made 1. India lost by 95. That tells you all that you need to know.
A version of this article was first published on Wisden India.
Prosenjit
Guest
Mj was close to being a contender for MoM.a decisive cameo then two scalps that actually worth four.however no great news for aussies that bilal has predicted their win.i expected him to call for a 15 wicket win for the kiwis. :-P
AdamG
Guest
Never in your wildest dreams? NZ were one of the form teams coming into the WC. many reporters and Roarers had NZ in the top few... from there anything can happen. I sense a bit of downplaying expectations. maybe thats the difference between our sides. near enough is good enough for you.
Jeremy Ward
Guest
Nah mate, not this time, It'll be decided by a Brendan McCullum hundy off 20 balls.
Jeremy Ward
Guest
To all you Aussies, how are the nerves boys? I'm shitting bricks to be honest. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought we'd get this far & we're about to witness a miracle tomorrow, a true underdog story, I'm so bloody proud of these boys, we've always had a gutsy team but we've always lacked class & now we've finally got in from 1 to 11. The Kiwi/Convict rivalry died years ago because we were a waste of space, it's time to bring it back by humiliating those Cocky Canaries in their own backyard. Sorry Aussies, you know I love you but this one is ours & we won't let you have it. We want it more and we deserve it.
Jeremy Ward
Guest
I think Australia are going to lose the final simply because NZ don't have the same weight of expectation,I get the impression that Aussie don't rate NZ & they think it's in the ba, afterall, how could little NZ possibly get in the way of the Australian cricketing juggernaut? I strongly believe that the petulant Aussie arrogance is going to get a shake up with a lesson in grace & humility. You won't see NZ sledge nor whinge, win or lose, they've already won hearts & minds around the world, no one expected them to get this far and that's what makes them dangerous.
Geoff Lemon
Expert
That's how it looked live, Chris. I think Dhoni and Rahane were finding looking to just tick things over, but they found it hard to even score enough singles and twos. Rahane in particular was stuck on strike, and Dhoni was caught between wanting to smash and not feeling like he had the right deliveries to do it against. His run out had all the signs of a guy who'd given up.
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
His batting was great and the Aussies all knew it too. He made the Indians go into the break far less happy.
Bobbo7
Guest
I reckon McCullum is going to go big on Sunday. He knows that if he comes off NZ have a good chance of the win. Destiny seems to be on his side Cannot wait for Sunday - I haven't been able to sleep properly since Tuesday
Andrew
Guest
If you are good enough, toss shouldn't matter. It will be a 300+ pitch whoever plays better on the day gets the cup.
oldtimer
Guest
Yes Geoff you told me all about the feel before, sorry I forgot, and you are correct he did change the atmosphere in a big way, particularly getting the side over 300 mark.
Geoff Lemon
Expert
Well, I could have written an article offering the insight that the guy who made a century had an influence on the result, but mostly I'm there to get a feel for the game, and to look for moments that are notable one way or the other. There are enough match reports already. Johnson had an effect on the atmosphere in both innings, so it's worth discussion. Great line about the spark plugs : )
DingoGray
Roar Guru
Old Mitch is certainly a man for the big occasion. I wouldn't be surprised to see him come out in the final and knock over Baz, Gups & Williamson early doors
Renegade
Roar Guru
Weird comment... everyone will still be here. I've been quietly confident all campaign and have put it out there that Australia will win this World Cup, if they don't still proud of the effort in getting to the final and will congratulate the Kiwis.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Agree, I understand that had Dhoni got out it was all over but at they at least should have had a crack at it. Ashwin is no mug and could hold up an end while Dhoni chased the runs.
Hoy
Roar Guru
Those two run outs at the end by Australia were amazing. They were a fair way out, both direct hits, both Indians a fair bit out...
onside
Guest
Cricket must be the only game in the world where a World Cup final is so disproportionately influenced by the toss of a coin.
onside
Guest
Thanks for the 'drop in' info guys.I did not know that. But it was like concrete. A Twenty-20,Fifty-50 special
Andrew
Guest
Last night Johnson was hitting his yorkers that was the notable difference to other WC games. I think he has overused the short ball and not got line and length right. Last night was different, he was right up there with Starc for me. Never as economical, but just as fierce.
oldtimer
Guest
Ah here we go again Geoff, your revelations that Johnson is practically the only relevant player in the Australian side and once again the sheek is giving support to that theory, I suppose we can all have our opinions, I do enjoy reading both of your views. I must admit that I was elated to see Johnson's bash at the end, but being realistic he came in when the Aussies where near 300 with a couple of overs to go, and with Starc still in the sheds, in my opinion he wouldn't be under the same pressure as Finch or Watson who were probably told to smarten up by the coach and certainly the fans. I fail to see how Smiths 100 can't be relevant, to pinch your metaphor about the tyres on the headmasters car, It didn't matter if he let them down Smith and Finch had already pinched the spark plugs, the balance of the batsmen only needed 50 between them to get the eventual Indian score. I must ask you though Geoff did you have this article written for the past month and only had to hit the send button once the lad weighed in? just kidding, I hope Mitch gives us all reason to celebrate his performance on Sunday I suspect he will, he is a rare talent.
Pie Thrower
Guest
Except its not a drop in pitch in Sydney...