Can Johnson will turn up for the Ashes?

Can Johnson will turn up for the Ashes?

Can Johnson will turn up for the Ashes?

One of the most worrying questions floating around Australia is which Mitchell Johnson will turn up to the Ashes? From casual fans to obsessive followers, to Johnson's team-mates and himself, nobody knows whether he will be that increasingly distant wrecker of South Africa or the erratic slinger who sprayed the ball two years in a row in England. Johnson landed in the United Kingdom in 2009 with a reputation as the world's most menacing bowler, after breaking Graeme Smith's hand twice in back-to-back series and splitting Jacques Kallis' chin. Instead of angling the ball across the right-hander, he was swinging it in as well, adding some scary bumpers for variety. There were also 33 wickets in six Tests for a bowler living up to the hype heaped on him for a decade.

Yet almost two years on from those demolitions, everybody has moved on. Johnson has gone backwards. A sensitive and quiet man, he has to re-program his character to chirp at batsmen. As 2009 wore on and his form regressed in England, it was as though Johnson was scared by his brutal ability. He lost his line and the lethal instinct he had tried so hard to cultivate. Having a family battle become public distracted him further, and his deepest trough came at Lord's, where he was either too wide to hit or in the slot. In eight pre-lunch over's on the first day he went for 57 and England sped to 126. It was one of two sessions that ultimately cost Australia the Ashes. When batting in the second innings, Johnson turned his back on a short ball from Andrew Flintoff. It was a sad reaction from a man previously so assured and graceful. The 12th man needed to run out a hug.

Fast bowlers don't have to be rough and mean, but it helps. When the Australians were criticised for being overrated, over-indulged and overpaid early this month it was easy to think of the 29-year-old Johnson. So much has been expected of him but since South Africa, when he was elevated to attack leader in the absence of Brett Lee, he has rarely delivered. He is the only specialist bowler who was playing in Cardiff, Mohali and Melbourne, those three horror games when Australia were left one wicket short of what should have been comfortable victories. They were the matches that highlighted the differences in attitude and approach between the currently ordained ones and the tough, all-conquering units of the not-so-distant past.

In the Cardiff and Mohali Tests, Johnson had plenty of time to grimace and push and sweat for the breakthroughs that never came. At the MCG earlier this month he smiled at the end of an over of punishment from the soon-to-be-victorious Sri Lankans. Instead of a wicket Johnson returned in the 42nd over to give away 10 runs. Ricky Ponting, a long-standing admirer, needs someone he can rely on in those moments. Johnson has not been that man.

Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of selectors, said this month that Johnson has been "our leading bowler for a long time and one of leading bowlers in world cricket". While Hilditch has chosen to believe in Johnson, his comment also reflects the lack of genuine strike options in Australia and the standard of pace bowling around the globe. Australian players and officials will defend Johnson's status by pointing to his winning of the ICC Cricketer of the Year in 2009. The award was another example of him being flattered by what he did against South Africa, not flattened for what came after. Fleming thinks Johnson is a different bowler at home than away because his armory is more suited to the local conditions. "He seems to love that there's no pressure to swing the ball in Australia - not with the new ball - and that his pace is a real factor," Fleming said. Johnson has 84 wickets in 17 Tests at 25.59 in his backyard, but overseas the mean is 31.10. Given Johnson's demeanor, it's no surprise that he prefers home comforts.

POST COMMENT

now in the case of green lasers Developing Good Project Ft. Myers Infiniti G25 dealers think world is ready for 2011 Infiniti M56S To Understand True Meaning Of Life What Is A Resident Adviser? Should You Be One Of Them? Why Use POLANIGHT? Bedrukte Mokken? Mokken Bedrukken Bij Www.bedruktservies.nl How To Play/rip Blu-ray/dvd Movie Or Mkv On Wdtv Hd Penus Pump Why to choose rain chains? The Current Sitation Of Sulfur Price Yoga - Pay Attention To eToro Partners Presents: Make the Most out of Your Traffic