Ashes time is up, say media and fans:
Johnson must go
Australian media and cricket fans Monday called for Mitchell Johnson
to be left out of Thursday's third Ashes Test against England amid
mounting concerns over his lack of bowling form.
The left-arm pace spearhead has been struggling with his eight
wickets going for 331 runs in the opening two Tests of the series, and
it got no better with match figures of 1-107 off 18.1 overs in the
weekend tour match against Northamptonshire.
Pundits and cricket followers chorused that it was time to find
someone else to share the new ball with the Australians already 1-0 down
in the best-of-five Test series.
"It's hard to justify Johnson's inclusion in a four-pronged attack,"
The Sydney Morning Herald's Peter Roebuck said. "Australia cannot afford
to carry a pace bowler on a wing and a prayer.
"Johnson has had a bad tour. He's been in England for months. His
action has gone to pot and his confidence is in his boots. Perhaps too
much was expected." The Australian said Johnson "was by far the worst"
of Australia's bowlers in the three-day match at Northampton, which the
tourists won by 135 runs. Fellow paceman Stuart Clark impressed to boost
his chances of a recall.
"If form is any guide Johnson should be replaced by Stuart Clark for
the third Test at Edgbaston, beginning on Thursday," the newspaper's
Malcolm Conn said. The Herald said Johnson's "disconsolate" body
language was noticeable in the Northamptonshire match.
"Every play and miss, every shot that eluded a fielder was greeted
with a slumped head and a resigned slap on the thigh," the SMH's Chloe
Saltau said.
"His long-awaited breakthrough did little to suggest he can resurrect
his tour in the bearpit that is Edgbaston from Thursday, where the
English batsmen will prey on his technical and mental vulnerability."
Fans also called time on the misfiring Johnson with a majority on
newspaper blog sites saying he had to go.
"When batsmen are out of form they get dropped. So should bowlers.
Being 1-0 down we need five fit and in-form bowlers to win a Test," one
fan said.
"The team should be picked on form. Mitchell's bowling form is not
good, so he should stand aside until he is one of the top 11 players
again," another said.
SYDNEY, Monday (AFP) - |