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Mitchell Johnson

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Alpha1 said:
And I am not saying MJ is a bad bowler either. He has plenty of guts and gives it 110%. But he still needs to learn how to hold the seam up rather than scramble it allover the place. I think thats why so many people say that he is overrated. I would say that at the moment both he and Sharma need to improve a lot, I guess it is easier for Ishant in that he is actually showing improvement.
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I am actually a bit surprised to read MJ is overrated. Didn't think anyone really rated him, which is why the comparison with Sharma - who is definetly highly rated.
 
Leo Barry You Star said:
For those comparing the Test records of Ishant and MJ it would be worth noting that one has played most of their Tests on the flat pitches of India while the other has played mainly in Australia and the West Indies
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And if you had read the thread you might know that they have played most of their matches against each other on the same pitches.

Sigh
 
I find him very over rated, builds pressure with 2 good nuts, then falls away with a rank wide one or a gimme on the pads, needs to build consistency, and needs to bowl seam up, get some movement ffs

on saying that has bowled really well in parts this series
 

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There is a good reason why Sharma is so highly rated. With his height to extract good bounce, his good seam position, a good slower ball, good pace and a bit of swing and reverse swing it's hard not to like him.

For me I can never see where Johnson next wicket is coming from. His best ball is his bouncer and slower ball. After that you have his bad balls, some balls that are too short of a length and then some good ones. If he could get his seam position sorted it would make him a much better bowler. Especially if he can start swinging it at his pace.

After the poor efforts by both our strike bowlers in this current test it once again shows we need a swing bowler. I seriously can't believe our selectors keep overlooking swing bowlers, first the Ashes in 05 and now here.

Anyway it's hard to see the selectors dropping Johnson since hes the leading wicket taker and Lee has past credits with his form in previous series. But I still reckon one of them need to make way for a swing bowler. And we certainly can't have both of them in the same team especially on these types of wickets.
 
Well if it is true that MJ is 'coming along' and 'learning'....he's going to have to speed it up ASAP because thats what we need. We need Johnson to become elite. He's 27 now, he should be entering his prime. I don't know though...for a left armer that can bowl 150 km/ph he needs to be more menacing.
 
Agree for someone of his pace and being a left armer I certainly thought he would look more threatening. Hes probably the least threatening bowler that I've seen bowl 150km/h.
 
Kent_Kingsley said:
Well if it is true that MJ is 'coming along' and 'learning'....he's going to have to speed it up ASAP because thats what we need. We need Johnson to become elite. He's 27 now, he should be entering his prime. I don't know though...for a left armer that can bowl 150 km/ph he needs to be more menacing.
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I don't think he is ever going to be elite. Test average 30 is about where he will stay IMO. Hope I am wrong though.
 
If he gets his seam position right he'll be a star. But he hasn't got it right and our pace bowlers are going down hill. Lee can't even get a seam right, what is our bowling coach doing?
 
aussie1st said:
Agree for someone of his pace and being a left armer I certainly thought he would look more threatening. Hes probably the least threatening bowler that I've seen bowl 150km/h.
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Uh...what about Mohammad Sami?

Mitchell Johnson is inconsistent (as much so as someone like James Franklin, arguably his closest counterpart), but he's not that bad.
 
Bloods boy from the Bush said:
Leading wicket-taker for the series so far so he can't be that bad. I've never been a huge rap for Mitch but hes the only bowler who has looked like getting a wicket this series.
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He lets teams off the hook way too easily due to his total lack of pressure. Means he's no help to the bowler at the other end. No-one's getting wickets until today so having the most wickets means so far bugger all. He's simply incapable of consistent pressure. We're not just talking this series. Might be a chance that one bowler will get nearly as many wickets in one Test as he does in 4. Emphasises the point. The OP is so spot on.
 
The 747 said:
I was not saying MJ is a better prospect than Ishant because he obviously is not.

Just worth noting though, MJ cops a lot of heat and Ishant gets a lot of love but so far in their careers Johnson has a better record from exactly the same number of Tests.
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Given Johnson bowls on Aussie pitches and Sharma in India are you surprised? Reverse the roles and see what happens.
 
Jimthegreat said:
Given Johnson bowls on Aussie pitches and Sharma in India are you surprised? Reverse the roles and see what happens.
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Whilst I agree Johnson does not have as much potential as Sharma, it's been pointed out a few times that the majority of their matches have been played on the same pitch.
 

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aussie1st said:
Agree for someone of his pace and being a left armer I certainly thought he would look more threatening. Hes probably the least threatening bowler that I've seen bowl 150km/h.
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He's not even the least threatening in the team.

Going on watching the actual game rather than the stats, Shane Watson has been the pick of our pace bowlers. My opinion of him has risen a fair bit this series, but Johnson and Lee should be better than that. Clark should have been better than that too, but he has had a combination of injuries and horrible selectors holding him back a little.
 
DaRick said:
Uh...what about Mohammad Sami?

Mitchell Johnson is inconsistent (as much so as someone like James Franklin, arguably his closest counterpart), but he's not that bad.
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Got me :) That is what happens when you become the least threatening bowler at 150km/h. The guys I think of at pace are Akram, Donald, Ahktar, Bond and co.
 
Zeke said:
I hope the Brett Lee apologists don't see this. :eek:

They've been proclaiming his 'eliteness' for years.
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Brett Lee is not and has never been a elite Test match bowler.

Has had two good runs of form, one at the start of his career and one at the (hopefully) end of his career. In between he has rarely been a pass mark in Test cricket.
 
I think there are a lot of people posting in this thread who didn't see much of johnson bowling last season, particularly with the old ball.

he isn't in the best of form right now (who is, in the current australian side?), but he has shown that he can be a very damaging and aggressive bowler...
 

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Carl Spackler said:
A test bowling average of 30 is pretty ****ing good.

We have been spolit by having McGrath, Warne & Gillespie. Lost our grip on reality.
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not really. an established test average of 30 for a frontline bowler isn't really good enough. most bowlers will start out with a high bowling average at first, then bring it downwards as they gain experience. 30 is a good starting average, but to finish a long career at that mark isn't all that great.

for example, mcgrath started out averaging 40, then 30, then eventually finished up on 21. warne is another example of someone who started with an extremely high bowling average at the beginning of their career but was able to work it downwards.

brett lee, on the other hand, started out at 15, then went up through the 20's, and now has settled at around the 30 mark. johnson has started out around 40, has worked his way down to 30 and will hope that he finishes in the mid-20's...
 
Mj is not overrated.. If u guys actully looked at watched the cricket you would know he has been consisted in his first test series in india, not many people can come out of india saying i was the leading wicket taker in my first outing there. Its very hard for bowlers to adapt to indian pitches. take Lee, hes never played a test in india and is struggling to take wickets. So to all you MJ haters out there Get a life and actually watch him bowl and how he keeps us in games..
 
BluesMan said:
Mj is not overrated.. If u guys actully looked at watched the cricket you would know he has been consisted in his first test series in india, not many people can come out of india saying i was the leading wicket taker in my first outing there. Its very hard for bowlers to adapt to indian pitches. take Lee, hes never played a test in india and is struggling to take wickets. So to all you MJ haters out there Get a life and actually watch him bowl and how he keeps us in games..
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Taking wickets and batsmen getting themselves out are two different things.

I can recount at least 3-5 of his wickets being dumb shots by the batsmen.

Johnson is the new Peter Taylor. Bowl rubbish for long enough and the batsmen will get greedy or careless.

If we continue with our current attack we will not win much. We need a changing of the guard - ala the Windies tour in 95 when McDermott went home.

Selectors have been weak for too long. He is 27 as has not done enough. He has been a project player for so long - its like he is the Mark Bolton of the Australian cricket side. We have put so much time in him, we can't give up on him.

And Brett Lee will be finished very soon. Clark is also looking like he is on the way out. This summer will be an interesting one, if nothing more thna the make up of our bowling line up.
 
King Elvis said:
I'm one who thinks Johnson is improving - but I always forget that he's 27 years old.

Surely the excuse that you're learning your craft and developing wears out when you're about 25?
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Thats why comparing MJ and Sharma is a joke. Sharma has just turned 20 and MJ is 27, we have a world class bowling coach and yet our fast bolwers can't even get the seam up and straight. Who is India's bowling coach? He has done a great job with their bowlers even when they were in Australia.
 
Alpha1 said:
Thats why comparing MJ and Sharma is a joke. Sharma has just turned 20 and MJ is 27, we have a world class bowling coach and yet our fast bolwers can't even get the seam up and straight. Who is India's bowling coach? He has done a great job with their bowlers even when they were in Australia.
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So even thought they have played exactly the same number of Tests, mostly on the same pitches, both are fast bowlers and have very similar stats it is a joke to compare them because one is 7 years older than the other? :rolleyes:

And for the last time for those who are unable to read, I brought up the comparison because MJ gets a lot of negative attention and Sharma gets a lot of positive attention.

Which is fine but you should keep in mind MJ has actually performed better so far. Meaning he is not as useless as some people seem to think.

That is not to say Sharma is not going to be a lot better in the future etc.
 

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