Johnson’s progress?

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weevil

weevil

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Veteran 10k Posts A Star Wars Fan Ex-Moderator
Jul 15, 2003
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I don’t have Fox, and the first test being in Brisbane means that I haven’t seen much cricket since last summer.

My impression is that Mitch seems to be gradually improving. He was steady but not penetrating enough last season. Whereas he now seems to be erratic but able to produce some wicket taking balls.

How much improvement does he have in him? Has he justified the selectors faith in him? He was one of the most vilified players last season. Is his standing improving?
 
weevil said:
I don’t have Fox, and the first test being in Brisbane means that I haven’t seen much cricket since last summer.

My impression is that Mitch seems to be gradually improving. He was steady but not penetrating enough last season. Whereas he now seems to be erratic but able to produce some wicket taking balls.

How much improvement does he have in him? Has he justified the selectors faith in him? He was one of the most vilified players last season. Is his standing improving?
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My honest assessment is that he has been a fairly lucky bowler throughout his career and I don't think it will continue against the better sides.

In India, he took the most wickets, but the majority of these were either from balls down the leg side, wide half volleys and generally just from the batsman getting himself out not the bowler's good work.

I really don't think we should read too much into his performance against New Zealand. Due to their first class set up, it is very rare for them to face someone who bowls at 140+, let alone a left armer who bowls at this speed.

However, he has the potential to become a lethal bowler if he can start to swing the ball back into the right hander. If he learns to do this, it makes his balls which go across the right hander so much more effective, as the batsman is more inclined to play and less sure of where the ball is going.

If he does not learn this skill, I cannot see him being overly successful, especially against the better teams.
 
he's taken a lot more wickets for australia since becoming a western warrior.

he's just gotta shake the queensland out of himself and he'll cement his spot in the side.
 

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He's potentially very good.

It's purely the percentage of;

Wicket Balls - Good Dot Balls (batsmen forced to play) - Shit dot balls (bats don't need to play) - Crap Balls.


He's always bowled a decent number of wicket balls, but not enough Good Dot Balls, and way too many poor dot balls/crap balls.

If he can get his good dot balls up so he can start applying consistent pressure, instead of just taking wickets via a very good delivery, then he'll be a better than average Test Bowler.
 
No doubt he has improved since first debuting.
His 'line and length' is more more consistent which has improved his economy and wicket taking ability.


Their is no 'great' bowler in the side since Warne's and McGraths departure. So its very important each of our bowlers 'does thier job' which Johnson is starting to do well.
 
I thought he bowled utter shit in this test and managed to get 9 wickets. His stock ball (to right handers anyway) is a foot outside off stump and his change up is short and at the ribs, easily fended off by quality batsmen.

Clark bowled much better than him, constantly at a good length and making the batsmen play, yet Johnson gets 9 for the match whilst clark gets 6. 5 of johnsons 9 batted 8 or lower in the order.

He's one lucky bowler and it saddens me as an australian fan to see guys like him playing, when i've been used to the likes of Mcgrath, Reifel, Gillespie(probably our most under rated bowler) and clark and even 'back up' guys like Bichel, Kasper and Fleming over the years.
 
Hes starting to get more wickets from good balls which is a positive. With his current action I would like to see him get the ball a bit more fuller especially when hes getting a bit of reverse. Ideally he needs to get the in swinger back to become the "once in a lifetime" bowler.
 
I don't think he'll ever learn to swing it in unless he changes the way he releases the ball from his hand. This causes the seam to be scrambled and he gets movement away from right handers rather than into them. If he chances how he realeases the ball then I doubt he'd be able to move it away from right handers...
 
Merv_Hughes said:
My honest assessment is that he has been a fairly lucky bowler throughout his career and I don't think it will continue against the better sides.
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lucky!? :eek:

he was by FAR the unluckiest bowler of last season. so many catches dropped off him it was unbelievable!


johnson is really struggling. can't swing, can't bowl straight, poor wrist position, round arm action, bowls outside off stump, buck teeth. about the only thing he has going for him is the fact that he takes many wickets for not many runs.

still, how important is that, eh?? :rolleyes:
 
Bomber Bears said:
I thought he bowled utter shit in this test and managed to get 9 wickets. His stock ball (to right handers anyway) is a foot outside off stump and his change up is short and at the ribs, easily fended off by quality batsmen.

Clark bowled much better than him, constantly at a good length and making the batsmen play, yet Johnson gets 9 for the match whilst clark gets 6. 5 of johnsons 9 batted 8 or lower in the order.
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No argument, but I think the thing is;

Clark - 80% good balls, 10% crap, 10% wicket taking balls.

Johnson - 50% good balls, 30% crap, 20% wicket taking balls.

What you said is spot on - he needs to force batsmen to play more often so they can't just his stock delivery go.

Johnson is definitely improving, his wicket balls are great, he just needs to concentrate on improving his standard delivery so he can apply more pressure and force the batsmen into a mistake - instead of getting most of his wickets by the odd great delivery.

PS - This Test was a good reminder of how good Stuey Clark is when he's fit, and the conditions suit him.
 
King Elvis said:
No argument, but I think the thing is;

Clark - 80% good balls, 10% crap, 10% wicket taking balls.

Johnson - 20% good balls, 75% crap, 5% wicket taking balls.

What you said is spot on - he needs to force batsmen to play more often so they can't just his stock delivery go.

Johnson is definitely improving, his wicket balls are great, he just needs to concentrate on improving his standard delivery so he can apply more pressure and force the batsmen into a mistake - instead of getting most of his wickets by the odd great delivery.

PS - This Test was a good reminder of how good Stuey Clark is when he's fit, and the conditions suit him.
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Fixed.
 

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blackhead&boil said:
lucky!? :eek:

he was by FAR the unluckiest bowler of last season. so many catches dropped off him it was unbelievable!


johnson is really struggling. can't swing, can't bowl straight, poor wrist position, round arm action, bowls outside off stump, buck teeth. about the only thing he has going for him is the fact that he takes many wickets for not many runs.

still, how important is that, eh?? :rolleyes:
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You are obviously one of those cricketing fans with limited knowledge that looks at the wickets and runs columns in forming a judgment on a player.

There is more to cricket than statistics. If you knew the slightest thing about the game, you would see that the majority of his wickets come froma absolute tripe.

If you knew anything about cricket, you would find it a disgrace that a bowler with so many coaches around him delivers every single ball with a scrambled seam.

But for some people, watching the ball being caught automatically means that it was a good ball, so keep living in fairy land if you want.
 
THought he bowled well, the ball to remove Flynn was a peach, had some swing going when other bowlers could get none, his asset to the right-handers is getting the ball to slant across them and bringing the slims into play.

He is a very promising bowler, great to see him bag 9.

Magnificent performance.
 
Merv_Hughes said:
You are obviously one of those cricketing fans with limited knowledge that looks at the wickets and runs columns in forming a judgment on a player.

There is more to cricket than statistics. If you knew the slightest thing about the game, you would see that the majority of his wickets come froma absolute tripe.

If you knew anything about cricket, you would find it a disgrace that a bowler with so many coaches around him delivers every single ball with a scrambled seam.

But for some people, watching the ball being caught automatically means that it was a good ball, so keep living in fairy land if you want.
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You need to learn how to conduct a conversation that does not involve abusing someone just because they have a different opinion to yourself.
 
to be fair to him, he's been our best bowler since the start of the india tour...so he's doing something right.
 
It has been obvious that Johnson has the ability to be a first rate bowler for Australia for some time. I remember him routing the Indian batting order in 2006 in a one day game and i distinctly remember him nearly take KP's head off with a bounce against England in the 2006 Champions Trophy and then dismiss him next ball caught behind. Not many bowlers can make KP bail out of a bouncer on a slow Indian wicket like Johnson did that day.

It was clear then that this guy has what it takes at test level.

He took 9 wickets this match, granted NZ arent the best side, but you still have to take the wickets. What impressed me was the fact that he kept his pace up and got the ball to move enough to get wickets.

I dont care if he gets wickets with full toses, or long hops, wickets win matchs and this guy has proven that he can make the best batsmen hurry up.

More power to him.
 
Merv_Hughes said:
You are obviously one of those cricketing fans with limited knowledge that looks at the wickets and runs columns in forming a judgment on a player.

There is more to cricket than statistics. If you knew the slightest thing about the game, you would see that the majority of his wickets come froma absolute tripe.

If you knew anything about cricket, you would find it a disgrace that a bowler with so many coaches around him delivers every single ball with a scrambled seam.

But for some people, watching the ball being caught automatically means that it was a good ball, so keep living in fairy land if you want.
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merv, I hate to be condescending, but I would back my cricketing knowledge and understanding against almost anyone who posts in this forum, with the possible exception of a few. I have several seasons of coaching under my belt and have studied the game in great detail for around 20 years, not to mention playing at a reasonable standard as well.

one thing that I have learned over the years is that technique is not a very good indicator of effectiveness. I have seen too many players "fix" their "faulty" techniques only to see their runs/wickets column dry up tragically. the factors that go together to determine success in this game are very subtle. have a look at australia's two current best performers with bat and ball - katich and johnson.if you judged them solely on technique you would hardly rate them as shield players, and yet they keep on delivering the goods. even mcgrath's technique was questioned early in his career.

just think of all the old ideas of what constitutes proper bowling/batting technique. think of the countless players at top level who don't adhere to them and think of the millions of frustrated club cricketers who do. in bowling alone the conventional wisdom on body position has changed in recent years from "side on always" to "either side-on, front-on, or somewhere in between". what we now believe is that the important thing is to have the hips and the shoulders aligned. this is an example of how the conventional wisdom has been proved incorrect, and it is also an example of why you should be very wary of judging someone on their ability to adhere to your ideals of correct technique.


it's true what they say - more champions are unmade than made...
 
He's the type of bowler who takes wickets against very ordinary sides who just can handle someone with a bit of zip, just watch when we play S.A. They will play him with a lot more ease.
Against good sides, the bowler must swing the ball. Simple as that. Just look how much the australians have struggled with it. I've also heard hes been working all year trying to get an inswinger going, A WHOLE YEAR! an international cricketer! First of all his action is mixed buggery, not front on or side on. He doesnt **** the wrist at all, and the ball comes out of his wrist in a slinging motion, so the ball is always cutting across the right handers. You have to wonder why the mastermind troy cooley hasnt picked up on any of this.
 

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