Johnson unfairly maligned ?

[Burgey]

Originally Posted by flibbertyjibber

The one reason he shouldn't be selected to tour England next year. That comes before you even look at his woeful record here or the numerous other options you have who are better than him.

On the basis of previous poor records, you wouldn't have brought Anderson here last tour.

Generally speaking though, I agree that MJ would not be near the team were the others fit. Nevertheless, it is pretty handy having a bloke around the fringes who has taken 200 test wickets, scored a test ton and can still put Sangakkara in hospital.

He's just an enigma, Johnson. Everyone should just give up trying to work him out in any meaningful way at all. He's beyond analysis.

[Arachnodouche]

He's the fittest fast bowler Aus has so it's always worth taking him on tour. I can't see the rest staying fit for an entire tour. And he seems to do well when he isn't in the reckoning and then is called on to play the odd game.

[Midwinter]

The enigma of Mitchell Bloody Johnson !

Third most experienced player on the team, 30 years old, played cricket all his life.

On a hat trick in a test match ... noball

Closing in on hundred against a modest bowling attack, batting with no's 10 & 11 .... takes a single of the first ball of an over to let first gamer No 11 face the bowling.

To be fair KOK said something like love him and hate him.

A bloke in the Age called him trash & treasure.

[Prince EWS]

Originally Posted by Burgey

On the basis of previous poor records, you wouldn't have brought Anderson here last tour.

Anderson had improved out of sight though so they backed him to take him that improvement across. Do we reckon Johnson has improved his bowling in the last couple of years?

[flibbertyjibber]

Originally Posted by Prince EWS

Anderson had improved out of sight though so they backed him to take him that improvement across. Do we reckon Johnson has improved his bowling in the last couple of years?

This in spades. Plus Anderson is a thinking bowler, Johnson doesn't have a clue how he does it.

[Spikey]

Originally Posted by Prince EWS

Anderson had improved out of sight though so they backed him to take him that improvement across. Do we reckon Johnson has improved his bowling in the last couple of years?

Yeah that's basically why I think it's easy as **** to dump him even for the next test

[social]

Originally Posted by Prince EWS

Anderson had improved out of sight though so they backed him to take him that improvement across. Do we reckon Johnson has improved his bowling in the last couple of years?

Johnson hasnt improved any aspect of his cricket since his test debut

That being said, I reckon Maxwell's debut is one of the most important in recent memory as if he proves to be a serviceable off spinning all rounder (doubt it btw), then we can carry MJ as a 4th seamer

If that's the case, welll .......

[social]

Originally Posted by BeeGee

HeeHee... I'm enjoying the whole Johnson vs Morkel debate. Like some, I can't believe it's even a contest. Morkel is considerably better than Johnson, imo.

Ask yourself this, if Morkel was an Aussie and available to play in this current Test, would Johnson have been selected ahead of him?

Morkel would have been selected but wouldnt have had anywhere near the impact

Therein lies the conumdrum for Oz selectors

Johnson is just about the most talented cricketer in the world today but only turns up every now and again and is **** in between

I would never have selected him for Oz again and cannot believe that they could take him to England (damaged goods/ bowling style all wrong, etc) but how do you leave him out if he continues to do this?

[stephen]

Originally Posted by social

Morkel would have been selected but wouldnt have had anywhere near the impact

Therein lies the conumdrum for Oz selectors

Johnson is just about the most talented cricketer in the world today but only turns up every now and again and is **** in between

I would never have selected him for Oz again and cannot believe that they could take him to England (damaged goods/ bowling style all wrong, etc) but how do you leave him out if he continues to do this?

This is exactly the point. Every chance that he has gotten this summer, he's grasped with both hands. Starc must be absolutely fuming right now because it is so very difficult to see the selectors dropping Johnson for Sydney (though Sydney really should suit Starc, particularly with the older ball).

Johnson in his last two tests has taken 12 wickets (really 15 as he ended 3 innings due to injury) and has made an unbeaten 92. You really can't ask any more from any player. It's so frustrating though knowing that if we pick him again as a regular he'll likely take five wickets in the next three tests at an average of 45 and score 20 runs over his next six innings.

[Howe_zat]

I can't remember who touted it but someone came up with a theory on how Johnson debilitates the other bowlers in the attack by making it impossible to nurture the ball and help it to swing.

Last (Aussie) summer Hilfenhaus stared to get the ball to move a great deal more than in the previous 18 months, especially with the old ball, and it was the first time Johnson had been out of the side in that time.

[Burgey]

Originally Posted by Prince EWS

Anderson had improved out of sight though so they backed him to take him that improvement across. Do we reckon Johnson has improved his bowling in the last couple of years?

Yes but that wasn't the point made in the post.

I don't know if Johnson has or hasn't improved because most of the improvement needs to be between his ears (that his action isn't very repeatable is a given), but the other blokes everyone are doing loads over have dined out on India and SL at home.

The improvement I'd like to see in Johnson isn't necessarily him bowling at his absolute best more often (when he does that he's a force of nature); it would be to see his "off" days be about 80% of his best, instead of 3% of his best like they've been in the past. It's really impossible to know if he's improved going on a sample of two tests, and lets be honest, do we really want to find out if it means the likes of Patto, Starc et al aren't playing?

[wellAlbidarned]

Originally Posted by Howe_zat

I can't remember who touted it but someone came up with a theory on how Johnson debilitates the other bowlers in the attack by making it impossible to nurture the ball and help it to swing.

Last (Aussie) summer Hilfenhaus stared to get the ball to move a great deal more than in the previous 18 months, especially with the old ball, and it was the first time Johnson had been out of the side in that time.

Yeah I remember that too. Bad seam release = landing the ball on the shiny side regularly = no swing for all the other bowlers

[Ruckus]

It was NUFAN's ingenious theory.

[social]

Originally Posted by Howe_zat

I can't remember who touted it but someone came up with a theory on how Johnson debilitates the other bowlers in the attack by making it impossible to nurture the ball and help it to swing.

Last (Aussie) summer Hilfenhaus stared to get the ball to move a great deal more than in the previous 18 months, especially with the old ball, and it was the first time Johnson had been out of the side in that time.

Reckon that is rubbish myself

Take Hilf as an example

He wasnt being succesful because he was down on pace and bowled the same ball from the same position on the crease every single time

Against the Indians, he was fitter, faster, and had more variation

State of the ball had nothing to do with it

[uvelocity]

reckon your post is rubbish myself

you're unsuccessful because you post pretty bland trolling stuff every single time

thread you're posting in has nothing to do with it