Johnson relishing possibility of grass on third Test wicket at Edgbaston

Ashes 2015: Mitchell Johnson relishing possibility of grass on third Test wicket at Edgbaston as he chases extraordinary double
3 HOURS AGO JULY 28, 2015 6:00PM


Mitchell Johnson: "England's team reshuffle is looking good for us"

MITCHELL Johnson may be the most Herculean fast bowler that’s ever been, but England are still looking to roll out the green carpet for him to hunt down his 300th career victim at Edgbaston.
You’d think it might be a bad idea to give a bloke who took 37 wickets last Ashes series a leg up in the third Test, but at least a portion of the nine millimetres of grass that was on the Birmingham surface is likely to remain at the request of a desperate and panicked England.
Lights used to cultivate cannabis have even been brought in from West Midlands Police to accentuate the pace and bounce in the wicket, but with Johnson able to fire on even the flattest of pitches, the hosts’ plans could go up in smoke.
Johnson is just one wicket and one run from the extraordinary double of taking 300 Test wickets and making 2000 Test runs – a feat accomplished by just six fast bowlers before him.

Skipper Michael Clarke has described Johnson as perhaps the best overall athlete cricket has seen.
Dennis Lillee, Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee are among those already in the 300 club, but at least as a physical specimen, no fast bowler can compare to the fit, lean machine that is Johnson, whose run-up alone resembles a wild cat stalking its prey.
Australia Nets Session
Mitchell Johnson prepares to bowl during a nets session ahead of the thirs Ashes 2015 Test. Source: Getty Images
“I’ve always said he’s as gifted an athlete as I’ve played with,” said Clarke.

“These guys worked exceptionally hard in the gym to stay healthy and Mitch is as fit if not fitter than those blokes put together.
“Hence why he’s been able to play for such a long period of time, have consistent success and bowl at that pace.”
Tripping over a ball and twisting an ankle as McGrath did at Edgbaston in the turning point moment of 2005, is unlikely to happen to Johnson.

“Bat, bowl, field, give him a footy, put him in a boxing ring, have a race against him (Johnson can do it all),” said Clarke.
“He takes some unbelievable catches, gets some unbelievable run-outs, scores Test hundreds and bowls like a genius.
“I think he’s grown from a young player into a leader in our group and he’s bowling as well as I’ve seen him throughout his career.”

Two days out from the pivotal third Test with the scores locked at 1-1, Clarke likened the amount of grass on the Edgbaston wicket to “a Shield game at the Gabba”.
Clarke knows from events in Cardiff to start this series that a green pitch could be shaved down to nothing by the toss on Wednesday.
However, England coach Trevor Bayliss and captain Alastair Cook have specifically requested a more seaming surface in a despairing hope to bring pacemen Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad into the contest after their shellacking at Lord’s.
Not just Johnson, but all the Australian quicks are licking their lips.
“That’s as much grass as I’ve seen on a pitch in England, so I wonder if the talk in the media and the commentators’ talk has made the groundsman a little bit nervous,” questioned Clarke.
“I think if anything, if they leave grass on it then it will make it easier for the bowlers rather than harder.
Mitchell Johnson is just one run away from making 2000 in Tests.
Mitchell Johnson is just one run away from making 2000 in Tests. Source: Getty Images
“The way we were able to take 20 wickets at Lord’s and that was as flat as you’re going to get, I don’t think too much adjustment will be needed.

“We bowled fuller at Lord’s and used our bouncer when we needed to so I think our plans will be similar for this Test as well.
“If they leave grass on it, who knows how many days the Test will go for?”
Clarke refused to be drawn on whether he believes bogeyman Johnson has got back inside English minds after his devastating performance at Lord’s.
Instead, the skipper emphasised that in any case, it’s the execution of fellow quicks Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood that allows him to utilise Johnson in permanent attack mode.

“Hopefully all our bowlers can do a similar job,” he said.
“They bowled beautifully and that allowed me to use Mitch like that (in short, sharp spells).”