*Official* Fourth Test at the MCG

[Adders]

Perhaps I should have said: People who think "it is getting to the point now where too much credit for this thumping win is being placed on Johnson's shoulders", should remember Johnson kick started Australia's form turnaround?

LOL, I'm "people" now am I??

In your other post you mention Johnsons 64 in the first dig in Brisbane as the turning point........why not Haddins 94??

Look I'm probably just being pedantic here but I don't subscribe to the view that he was "the difference between the two sides" No doubt at all he is way out in front for POS and rightly so, but when 1 -11 have outperformed us it is wrong to highlight one player as the difference IMO.

 

[Ausage]

I don't think anyone would downplay Johnson's direct effect in the series. Tenuously linking a bouncer in an ODI several months ago to a complicated, likely long standing mental illness, then tenuously linking that further to our Ashes performance is the ridiculous part.

I mean there is not a single quote in the article. There's not even a mention of "inside sources". They're not even attempting to pass this off as anything but a fabrication. I wouldn't be surprised if the article was spawned by one of those water cooler conversations that starts with "I had the craziest dream last night..."

 

[Arachnodouche]

Johnson, first by dint of his performances on the field, and then with the entire country backing him up (entire cricketing world to be honest), became an almost gargantuan figure in the series. Consider all that and the fact that you're playing away from home in some of the toughest conditions in world cricket....yeah, fair to call him the difference between the sides on many levels.

I'm pretty sure he had a psychological impact on them as well. It's only a game but it's also a hard projectile being flung at your body from 22 yards away. It can't be a pleasant, idyllic experience standing through that, with the crowd baying for your blood. Courage has a curious way of deserting people under stress; it's unfair to hold international cricketers up to lofty standards of fortitude, especially when they haven't quite exhibited the technique to face up to the challenge.

 

[Hooksey]

Johnson, first by dint of his performances on the field, and then with the entire country backing him up (entire cricketing world to be honest), became an almost gargantuan figure in the series. Consider all that and the fact that you're playing away from home in some of the toughest conditions in world cricket....yeah, fair to call him the difference between the sides on many levels.

I'm pretty sure he had a psychological impact on them as well. It's only a game but it's also a hard projectile being flung at your body from 22 yards away. It can't be a pleasant, idyllic experience standing through that, with the crowd baying for your blood. Courage has a curious way of deserting people under stress; it's unfair to hold international cricketers up to lofty standards of fortitude, especially when they haven't quite exhibited the technique to face up to the challenge.

Agree with most of what you've said there. Australia have outplayed England in every facet of the game so far, but Johnson has been the single biggest difference between the teams. He's definitely enjoyed a huge psychological advantage over the English batsmen. But I would say it is more a fear of failure he holds over them than a fear of physical injury.

 

[wiff]

Not saying Johnson hasn't been great, but there's a lot of x factors at play. Oz bowlers did alright in England, but still lost 3-0. We've been able to get decent 1st innings runs. Two occasions our team has been in crisis to be saved by Haddin and Johnson in Brissie, Haddin and Smith in Perth. When there are runs, the bowlers feel less pressure. I wouldn't be surprised if England come back really strongly in the next test. They need to keep the foot on the throat if they get a few early wickets. Keep fielders up, don't bowl dross (easier said than done). And win the toss. Oz team have been marvellous, but they're not great (yet).

 

[marc71178]

Perhaps I should have said: People who think "it is getting to the point now where too much credit for this thumping win is being placed on Johnson's shoulders", should remember Johnson kick started Australia's form turnaround?

Thanks for the prompter.

Don't remember Johnson playing in the Test series in England...

 

[Top_Cat]

Johnson the sharp edge of the attack, sure. But, really, the other guys carried already good form into the series. Warner in particular has been red-hot for some time now, Watson and Smith have recent handy form, Clarke = Clarke even with a crocked back and the rest of the bowlers have been solid contributors. Harris in particular shows how much form has to intersect with some luck for results to happen; has bowled as well as in England but hasn't gotten a bag here yet.

 

[vic_orthdox]

And it ignores the success that Australia had against Trott in the series in England, with the short ball too. Geez he's a flog, Craddock.

 

[3703]

Yeah, garbage article with the most basic and simplistic view of events.

It's hard to say this without sounding like I'm diminishing Johnsons performances......which I'm not for a second. He has been outstanding and the best bowler in the series by far........I just think it is getting to the point now where too much credit for this thumping win is being placed on his shoulders.

Australia have been better than England in every facet of the game and from positions 1 through to 11.......I don't buy into the he was the "difference between the two sides" How can that be when every player was better? It's hard to say "what if" but if Johnson hadn't have gone into god mode and taken all the wickets is it not reasonable to think that Harris and Siddle would have picked up heaps more?

Take Johnson out of this series and sure you may not have seen returns like 7/40, but I've no doubt the scorecard would still read 3-0.

Like I say, in no way knocking him, just think that Clarke, Warner, Harris, Haddin et al have been just as pivotal to you.

Yeah good call. Johnson's spells have put a bit of an exclamation mark on the results so far, but it has been a lot more to do with the way the whole side is going about its work than anything else imo. They've hunted in an 11 man pack which hasn't been the case for aeons.

 

[Hooksey]

Don't remember Johnson playing in the Test series in England...

He didn't, and we lost 3-0.

 

[Riggins]

Is this the most Dave Warner photo ever or what?

 

[Spikey]

Test captain Michael Clarke thought he would be dropped as captain if his team lost the Ashes in Australia

After Ponting's autobiography made critical remarks about Clarke's performance as his vice-captain five years ago, Clarke's friend, business associate and former employer at Kingsgrove Sports indoor cricket centre, Harry Solomons, circulated an email titled Is Michael Clarke the most misunderstood captain Australia has ever had? Solomons addressed each controversy in turn, asking, ''The criticism and innuendo is brutal, while some of our media personalities and former 'Test divas' try to score brownie points by their unreal sensationalism of events involving the captain. Why?''

A bewildered Solomons said Clarke had ''remained as humble, as friendly, as considerate, as cordial and approachable as he can be''.

Kingsgrove Sports forever Greg Chappell cricket centre never

 

[Scaly piscine]

****'s sake it has reached that time where ****ing Bopara makes it onto the front page of Cricinfo, being talked about as a Test batsman. **** off.

 

[Maximas]

****'s sake it has reached that time where ****ing Bopara makes it onto the front page of Cricinfo, being talked about as a Test batsman. **** off.

We once had Aaron Finch do the same thing in a feature, scary times

 

[Tangles]

That's noted SS opener Arun Finch to you buddy.

 

[LongHopCassidy]

Kingsgrove Sports forever Greg Chappell cricket centre never

Alright ****, pistols at dawn.

 

[Spikey]

Weet-Bix MyCricket: Sydney Grade Cricket

 

[Maximas]

That's noted SS opener Arun Finch to you buddy.

Ah yes, excuse me

 

[Spikey]

Pressures of home Tests bite into batsmen's averages

h8 this article

 

[91Jmay]

Whys Dave Warner covering himself in a Union flag? Weird.