Let's start our test cricket column with the most interesting aspect of the game. The genuine art of fast bowling which has different variations, it can be either right-arm fast bowling or left-arm fast bowling. Apart from these two other variations of bowling are not that impactful except in some few cases.
Especially in an era of T20l cricket, the batting has been very easy across the formats from any kind of bowling. To be honest, it is more attractive to watch the whirlwind batting from many points of views without the shadow of doubt. With the batsman favourable conditions to the almost batting friendly equipment the bowlers have looked for the loopholes to meet the saturation point and often struggling to end up with the uncertainty. But I don't believe in that aspect of the game at all.
By the end of another decade and the start of 2021, the game of cricket has been framed into one rivalry only. The batsman friendly era most revolves around players like Virat Kohli vs Steve Smith; Joe Root vs Kane Williamson rivalry. You hardly see a bowler who would dominate the batsman across the formats. The quality of genuine fast bowlers in the last one decade have been reduced completely from the previous eras.
But thanks to god and I was very fortunate enough to be born in an era which was probably the last best era in the cricket history ever of the mid 90s to the mid 2000 era which featured the bowlers like Shane Bond and Brett Lee who have unleashed the skills of fast bowling. Back then, the game of cricket was completely different from the modern era with the great rivalry among the bat and ball. The fast bowlers were more lethal and dangerous who defined the raw pace and infused the word called fear into the batsman's mind of getting injured badly.
With the likes of Wasim Akram, Allan Donald, Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose who have dominated cricket throughout the 90s era. From the previous eras of fast bowlers Andy Roberts, Jeff Thomson, Dennis Lillee and Michael Holding the bowlers of the 90s were the perfect role model for anyone to look up to become the pace bowler.
But in the recent two decades, the quality of fast bowling is not the same as it was in the golden era of cricket. The bat gives more priority from the bowlers in this money making cricket these days. Anyone who wants to become the fast bowler they now have to either focus on line and length instead over the art of fast bowling.
With the start of another decade, there are hardly fast bowlers for the fans to watch their performances on the loop. But back in the recent two decades, there were some quick pace bowlers like Dale Steyn, Dirk Nannes and the most dominant left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Johnson. Dale Steyn was the complete fast bowler of his era where Dirk Nannes was very underrated and often ignored after having great pace to beat the batsman completely.
After Dirk Nannes, the bowler who was the vital cog of Australia bowling line-up was Mitchell Johnson without the shadow of doubt for almost one decade. He was the one bowler who was real quick from the other bowlers of this era. The only bowler who had redefined the times of players like Jeff Thomson and Dennis Lillee in his career at various times but the best was definitely in the Ashes Series 2013-14 – where he was a complete nightmare against England batsmen who were at complete backfoot.
Also Read | Menacingly Fast – Mitchell Johnson
Again his career stats might not give the exact picture of what he was actually but that doesn't change the perception of someone like me to admit that - he was the complete left-arm fast bowler. Johnson has brought the charm of fast bowling with the fear into the batsman mind. Having said that, let us take a look at the five test spells of Mitchell Johnson Career.
8/61 vs South Africa at Perth, 2008
At the famous venue of WACA, Mitchell Johnson has breached the defense of visitors (South Africa) in just a span of quick time to derail their line-up. After batting first, the hosts (Australia) have scored 375 runs in the first innings. In response South Africa was in total control at 234/4 but with the addition of 9 runs on the scoreboard visitors were 8 down for 243 which included 5 wickets of Mitchell Johnson. The left arm fast bowler with the old ball restricted the visitors at the score of 281 runs in their first innings who took 8/61 in the first innings.
While in the second innings the visitors have chased down the target 414 runs with the loss 4 wickets which once again included 3 wickets of Mitchell Johnson. Unfortunately this bowling performance came on the losing cause but it had established him the complete fast bowler.
7/40 vs England at Adelaide, 2010
Ashes series 2013 was all about Mitchell Johnson who was heavily criticised before the series started. But Johnson assured this was the biggest mistake by the English fans. With the start of the series, Johnson wherever bowls looked he was going to take the wicket. 5 matches 37 wickets, Player of the series and three man of the match awards in test series, everything worked out according to the left-arm fast bowler's wits.
Although the series had witnessed many performances from Mitchell Johnson but in the second test match at Adelaide, Mitchell Johnson made the English batsman dance on his tunes. Australia after 1-0 in the series, decided to bat first in the second test match and racked up 570 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in the first innings.
Australia expected Mitchell Johnson to strike again and he repeated that heroics of the first test match with more lethal bowling in the first innings. Johnson took 7/40 to restrict the visitors at the score of 172 runs in their first innings and helped the Australia to won the match by 218 runs and take the lead of 2-0 in the test series.
7/68 and 5/59 vs South Africa at Centurion, 2014
After the great Ashes series in 2013, Australia toured South Africa in the 2013-14 season for a 3-match test series. The all eyes were on Mitchell Johnson what's next from pacer against South Africa in their territory. The start of the test series was the glimpse that Mitchell Johnson performance in ashes series 2013 was not fluke at all.
In the first test match after Australia were put into bat first they scored 397 runs in their first innings. Johnson was right there up to waiting for the hosts to come into bat and as soon as the hosts arrived, Johnson did what was expected before South Africa was out all out at the score of 206 runs in the first innings. Johnson took 7/68 in the first innings and Australia had set the target of 482 runs in the second innings for South Africa. Once again Johnson strikes again and took 5/59 in the second innings to help Australia win the test match by 281 runs and series too late by 2-1 where he took 22 wickets.
4/30 and 5/39 vs New Zealand at Brisbane, 2008
Johnson had his test debut against Sri Lanka in 2007, but it was the performance against New Zealand at Brisbane that gave the glimpse of his bowling skills. Batting first Australia has only managed to score 214 runs in the first innings with the consolidated knock of Michael Clarke (98). In response, New Zealand was all out at the score of 156 runs in the first innings which featured 4/30 from Mitchell Johnson to restrict the visitors and helped Australia to get the vital lead.
Australia in the second innings set the target of 326 runs for the visitors and was looking for the bowlers to provide early wickets in the chase and Johnson did it from the start to derail the chase for the visitors. New Zealand had only managed to score 177 runs in their second innings and lost the match by 149 runs. Johnson was awarded with Man of the match for 9 wickets in the match and 14 wickets in the series – highest in the test series.
4/59 and 6/73 vs New Zealand at Hamilton, 2010
After winning the white-ball series by 3-2, Australia was playing the 2-match test series against the hosts (New Zealand). Australia had already won the first test match by 10 wickets and coming into the second test match they had a fair chance to white washed the hosts. But soon Australia was at the backfoot when they were restricted at the score of 231 runs in the first innings.
But the hosts were derailed by Mitchell Johnson who took 4/59 in the first innings to restrict them to 264 runs in their first innings. In reply, Australia has declared their second innings at the score of 511 runs for the loss of 8 wickets. The target for hosts was 479 runs in the fourth innings which was not possible to achieve but Johnson 6/73 in the second innings pushed the hosts into the shambles before they lost the test match by 176 runs and series by 2-0.
7/68 and 5/59 vs South Africa at Centurion, 2014
After the great Ashes series in 2013, Australia toured South Africa in the 2013-14 season for a 3-match test series. The all eyes were on Mitchell Johnson what's next from pacer against South Africa in their territory. The start of the test series was the glimpse that Mitchell Johnson performance in ashes series 2013 was not fluke at all.
In the first test match after Australia were put into bat first they scored 397 runs in their first innings. Johnson was right there up to waiting for the hosts to come into bat and as soon as the hosts arrived, Johnson did what was expected before South Africa was out all out at the score of 206 runs in the first innings. Johnson took 7/68 in the first innings and Australia had set the target of 482 runs in the second innings for South Africa. Once again Johnson strikes again and took 5/59 in the second innings to help Australia won the test match by 281 runs and series too late by 2-1 where he took 22 wickets.
4/30 and 5/39 vs New Zealand at Brisbane, 2008
Johnson had his test debut against Sri Lanka in 2007, but it was the performance against New Zealand at Brisbane that gave the glimpse of his bowling skills. Batting first Australia has only managed to score 214 runs in the first innings with the consolidated knock of Michael Clarke (98). In response, New Zealand was all out at the score of 156 runs in the first innings which featured 4/30 from Mitchell Johnson to restrict the visitors and helped Australia to got the vital lead.
Australia in the second innings set the target of 326 runs for the visitors and was looking for the bowlers to provide early wickets in the chase and Johnson did it from the start to derail the chase for the visitors. New Zealand had only managed to score 177 runs in their second innings and lost the match by 149 runs. Johnson was awarded with Man of the match for 9 wickets in the match and 14 wickets in the series – highest in the test series.
4/59 and 6/73 vs New Zealand at Hamilton, 2010
After winning the white-ball series by 3-2, Australia was playing the 2-match test series against the hosts (New Zealand). Australia had already won the first test match by 10 wickets and coming into the second test match they had a fair chance to white washed the hosts. But soon Australia was at the backfoot when they were restricted at the score of 231 runs in the first innings.
But the hosts were derailed by Mitchell Johnson who took 4/59 in the first innings to restrict them to 264 runs in their first innings. In reply, Australia has declared their second innings at the score of 511 runs for the loss of 8 wickets. The target for hosts was 479 runs in the fourth innings which was not possible to achieve but Johnson 6/73 in the second innings pushed the hosts into the shambles before they lost the test match by 176 runs and series by 2-0.
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