With one searing spell, Australian spearhead Mitchell Johnson has ripped open old wounds and exhumed his Lord’s demons.
It didn’t take Johnson long to remove his unhappy memories at the home of cricket, with a seven-ball burst bouncing out England’s top dog, Joe Root, and No.3 Ian Bell while causing flashbacks of his hostile Ashes attacks of 18 months ago.
“That’d be nice to have those scars come back out,” Johnson (2-16) said after helping reduce England to 4-85 by stumps on day two, still 282 runs shy of making Australia bat again in the second Ashes Test.
The left-arm tearaway’s Lord’s horrors stem from his woeful showing in 2009 when he infamously lost his radar and was mercilessly hounded by the home crowd as Australia lost their first Test at the ground since 1934.
Then he took three wickets for 200 runs, and was at the helm as England marched to an opening stand of 196.
“It probably wasn’t my best performance, but I’ve grown a lot since then and I’ve bowled on a lot of different wickets that haven’t suited my bowling,” Johnson said.
On Friday afternoon, under overcast skies but on a wicket that had been derided as lifeless, Johnson roared into action.
Johnson, who took a stunning 37 wickets in the Ashes whitewash, was below his best in Cardiff last week, finishing with figures of 0/111 and 2/69.
But it took former England captain Michael Vaughan just two words to describe Johnson’s initial four-over spell: “He’s back.”
The explosive pace. The fearsome rearing deliveries. The hopping batsmen taking evasive action.
It all happened in the space of seven deliveries as he claimed two wickets and England slumped from 1-28 to 4-30.
The hallmarks of his hostile 2013-14 summer had returned.
“This is outstanding quick bowling,” the 2005 Ashes-winning skipper said of Johnson.
“You can see there’s panic in the England dressing room.
“The way he’s running in … This is the old Johnson, from Australia when he fizzed them down.
“He’s back.”
Johnson added of Root, whose first innings century in Cardiff set up a big English win: “It was definitely a plan to go hard at Root because we felt like we gave him too many chances in the first Test and let him get away from us.”
After his scorching yorker crashed into the base of off stump to remove Gary Ballance (23), the Australian players could be heard laughing over the stump effects microphone.
Following his dismissal of Root, the only noise to be heard at Lord’s was the concerned hum of a capacity crowd.
DAY TWO OF THE SECOND TEST BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND ENGLAND
Score: Australia 8(dec)-566, England 4-85
Man of the moment: Despite a flurry of late wickets, this was Steve Smith’s day. The young star cracked his maiden double century to quieten England’s sledges about his unique technique.
Key moment: The introduction of Mitchell Johnson turned the match on its head. He took 2-1 in seven balls to reduce England to 4-30.
Stat of the day: 2. It took just two balls for debutant keeper Peter Nevill get a dismissal, faster than any keeper in history.
Summary: Australia mounted a monstrous first innings total of 8(dec)-566, built around Smith’s delightful double century and the career-best 173 from Chris Rogers. Nevill (45) scored freely on debut, but no one else, including captain Michael Clarke (7), stood out. England already faced an uphill task saving the match, but that hill turned into a mountain when they crumbled to 4-30 in the face of Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. Ben Stokes (38no) led a revival late in the day as the home side reached 4-85.
mattyb
Guest
I know it was in Australia but in the last ashes Australia won the toss in the fourth test,elected to bowl and won.In the last test at the scg England won the toss and also bowled but lost.I think the toss is important but not the be all and end all. I agree that catches win matches as do solid batting in partnerships as do consistent lengthy spells of good bowling as does winning a crucial session in the game.
Jameswm
Guest
Next test
Rabbitz
Roar Guru
I, too, thought he may have wanted to exorcise them rather than exhume them. Either that or we've misunderstood the meaning - either way we should be ashamed :)
Steve
Guest
Its going to be a long time before Australia wins a game abroad after batting second, lets put it that way.
AlanKC
Guest
I really hope Mich has buried his Lords demons rather than exhumed them.
Nudge
Guest
I agree with nick, the toss is critical. Australia have never lost a test under Lehmann when batting first, and have a diabolical record under Lehmann when we bat second. If we had won the toss at Cardiff we would have won, and if England had of won the toss at lords the game would be in a different position
Kingcowboy
Guest
I agree with what you are saying Nick but the batsman still have to go out there and score the runs. Like Soap was saying the Poms dropped Smith on 50 and Rogers also gave a chance early on. I think it really comes down to taking your chances. Look at what Root did after being dropped in the first test. The old saying catches win matches couldn't be truer.
soapit
Guest
mind you if theyd caught smith on 50 or whatever it could be a different story
Nudge
Guest
Johnson was back to his best last night. Lightening quick and accurate.? Best Ballance with sheer pace, and it did keep low, then really shook up Root with a really scary bouncer which really caused his dismissal next ball
Nick
Guest
I think what we've actually seen there is victory by toss. Scoreboard pressure is causing this collapse as much as anything else. If a side gets 600 on a road in the first innings the team batting second is basically out of the game. Thus isn't true when the side batting first scores 100, they are still in it if their bowlers can get a go on the moving pitch. Most tests follow this pattern when the first innings happens like this. This is what happens when we allow roads on a first day.