Mitchell Johnson to be the next I.T. Botham?

Until the 1950's Australia produced a great all rounder at least once in every cricketing generation. Giffen, Noble, Armstrong, Gregory, Miller, Benaud, Davidson.

What went wrong with the conveyor belt?

Much less common also have been good batsmen who could bowl decently.
Benaud's team had Mackay, Simpson, O'Neill.
Chappell had himself and his brother, plus Walters.

Batting wise, MJ probably has the talent to be as good as Wasim Akram. Bowling wise, he's not even close and with that slingy action, he'll never consistently bring the ball back in to the right handers.

So have Australia finally found the all-rounder they were looking for? He seems to be quite a bit better than the other contenders with that label being bandied about...

The next Keith Miller?

All he needs is a Messerschmitt.

Please play him as the allrounder at 6. Please!!!!

The GiP Rule means MJ can only play as one of four bowlers.

So stop your pleading you Pommie drongo :o

Good on Johnson today! First thing I thought was 'here's another Davo'. Or maybe another Wasim Akram instead.

He hit out well in a no-win situation. Clearly he has talent. I think #8 is pobably right for him at the moment. I want to see Son of Chris start hitting like that (when the pressure is on).

Let's not woof him too early. Remember when Aus prescribed Shane Watson for All-round greatness, now look at him, he's as fragile as a ming vase in a Karate Competition.


I agree Midge is amazing, he's certainly Australia's newest Stand out performer of the moment. I'm hoping he'll do a Warney down the order in the Ashes and score valuable run's whilst doing an equally efficient job with the ball and keeping that average ticking below 30.

He could really light up the Series if his Form continues!

He's a perfect number eight all the ways it's possible to be a perfect number eight.

I thought he was a Perfect 10?

Henry wrote:Amazing how quick the Aussies are to jerk off over their own players.

Henry, The only one 'jerking off' is 'Red'. Most Australians on this thread think 'Red' is talking bollocks out of his arsehole.

peterg forgets Reiffel, who was 45 runs shy of the 1000 runs - 100 wickets double, deprived by selectors obsessed with what Lee might (and never did) become.

... and Pontoon, Lee will never play for Australia again.

This last game has settled Australia's spin bowling position for the Ashes. It will be shared by North, Clarke, and Katich. Haddin will bat at 7 (at least to start with; he may be replaced by Wade). Four MF bowlers, including Johnson at 8, complete the team. These four should be Johnson, Siddle, Clark, and Hilfenhaus; with Bracken the bowler to come in if there is an injury.

Have you occupied the NSP HQ, lardy?

(Did you remember the kalashnikov?)

Mitch is lovely, some of you can't see the wood for the trees.

I think the 'wood' is in the pants of those suggesting that M Johnson might be the next Botham ...

lardbucket wrote:... and Pontoon, Lee will never play for Australia again.

I'd like to think you were right...but I'd wager you're not.

He'll have to play his brown paper bag to get an Ashes tour.

He's had no recent games, he's always been shit in England, he's yet to recover from his injury, he's always been shit in England, he has exhibited marked mental and physical fragility over the last two years, he's always been shit in England, there are at least 8 better bowlers in Australia, and he's always been shit in England.

lardbucket wrote:He'll have to play his brown paper bag to get an Ashes tour.

He's had no recent games, he's always been shit in England, he's yet to recover from his injury, he's always been shit in England, he has exhibited marked mental and physical fragility over the last two years, he's always been shit in England, there are at least 8 better bowlers in Australia, and he's always been shit in England.

And he's purdy...you may be in denial lards but he'll be there.

According to Lardy he's always been Shit in England...

He's a bit goofy. Sir Ian has never been goofy.

If Midge keeps it up he could bat at seven and we could select a 'keeper instead of a backstop.

[quote="Ross"]If Midge keeps it up he could bat at seven and we could select a 'keeper instead of a backstopAunt Sally.[/quote

fixed...haddin is the worst keeper that I can remember

great knock from midge and ably supported by macca...pity the middle order only seem to fire when we are not in trouble

Johnson's batting is probably on a par with Shaun Pollock's, and South Africa kept him at 8 for most of his career.

Most of Johnson's significant test scores have come where Aus have been pretty much down and out and there is nothing to lose. I've seen him get out pretty tamely in several tight situations where Aus have needed someone to step up. He clearly has a good eye and a natural ability to time a cricket ball, but imo Aus would be taking a big risk promoting him to number 7.