Johnson inspires Aussie fightback

The Ashes was delicately poised Friday after Mitchell Johnson single-handedly lifted Australia back into contention with an inspired display of fast bowling on the second day of the third Test.

Derided in Brisbane and then dropped for Adelaide, Johnson (6-38) evoked memories of local fast bowling legend Dennis Lillee as he sliced through the England top order in Perth, with the tourists dismissed for 187.

“Only two days have gone by, we will be looking to try to bat for as long as we can tomorrow,” Johnson said.

“We’ll try and bat the whole day out if we can.”

England were in the box seat early in the day at the WACA — the home side had made just 268 on the opening day and England were cruising at 78-0 with openers Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss in command.

But then Johnson got involved, taking the scalps of Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood in an unexpected four-wicket blitz that revived the home team’s hopes.

Johnson, who also took the wickets of James Anderson and Chris Tremlett, admitted he had never swung the ball as much.

Facing a first innings deficit of 81, England fought back late in the day as the dismal form of Australian captain Ricky Ponting (1) and Michael Clarke (20) continued. Disciplined batting from Shane Watson (61 not out) and Mike Hussey (24 not out) steadied the ship and the home side were 119-3 at stumps, an overall lead of 200 in a match where a result appears certain.

If England win, they retain the Ashes, while an Australian win levels the series with two Tests to play. English batsman Ian Bell admitted they were surprised by Johnson’s swing, but said all was not lost.

“In a five-Test series you are always going to have a bad day,” Bell said.

“It is disappointing that we haven’t batted as well as we can.

“But there is still a lot to play for. If we can come back tomorrow morning and take a few wickets early on, it is going to be set up to be a fantastic Test match.”

Cook (32) was the first to fall to Johnson, caught at gully by a diving Mike Hussey as he attempted to drive at the first ball of the speedster’s seventh over.

The Australian took the catch low to the ground and Cook simply asked the fielder if he had caught it cleanly, accepting Hussey’s word before heading off rather than challenging the decision.

Johnson was getting late swing and trapped Trott lbw for just four in his next over, before sending dangerman Pietersen, coming off a double-century in Adelaide, back to the pavilion, lbw for a duck to claim his third wicket in 12 balls.

Pietersen challenged the decision without success.

Ryan Harris (3-59) then joined the party to remove Strauss, who should have been caught behind from the same bowler on 16, for 52.

When Collingwood (five) was given out lbw to the resurgent Johnson on a challenge by the Australians, England had lost five wickets for 20 runs to slip to 98-5.

England recovered slightly, but then lost their last four wickets for just six runs, with Johnson picking up Tremlett and Anderson to complete a stunning form reversal for both team and player.

Johnson, 29, said a number of verbal clashes between the two sides helped rally the embattled Australians. The home side had made an effort to be more “fiery”, he said.

“That is what I guess we have tried to do here, get really involved in the match, but not overstep the line.”

Johnson said Pietersen had asked for his phone number. PERTH, AFP

AUSTRALIA 
1st innings 268

ENGLAND 
1st innings

A. Strauss c Haddin b Harris	52
A. Cook c Hussey b Johnson	32
J. Trott lbw Johnson		 4
K. Pietersen lbw Johnson	 0
P. Collingwood lbw Johnson	 5
I. Bell c Ponting b Harris	53
M. Prior b Siddle		12
G. Swann c Haddin b Harris	11
C. Tremlett b Johnson		 2
J. Anderson c Watson b Johnson	 0
S. Finn not out			 1
Extras (8b 4lb 1w 2nb)		15
TOTAL (all out; 62.3 overs)	187
Fall of wickets: 1-78, 2-82, 3-82, 4-94, 5-98, 6-145, 7-181, 8-186, 9-186, 10-187).
Bowling: B. Hilfenhaus 21-6-53-0 (1nb), R. Harris 15-4-59-3 (1w), 
P. Siddle 9-2-25-1 (1nb), M. Johnson 17.3-5-38-6.

AUSTRALIA 
2nd innings

S. Watson not out		61
P. Hughes c Collingwood b Finn	12
R. Ponting c Prior b Finn	 1
M. Clarke b Tremlett		20
M. Hussey not out		24
Extras (1nb)			1
TOTAL (for 3 wickets)	 	119
Fall of wickets: 1-31, 2-34, 3-64. 
Bowling: J. Anderson 11-5-25-0, C. Tremlett 9-2-20-1, S. Finn 9-1-48-2 (1nb), G. Swann 4-0-26-0.