The Mitchell Johnson allrounder debate is over. His captain says he’s an allrounder. He says he’s an allrounder. The figures from this tour back them up
Brydon Coverdale in Cape Town22-Mar-2009
Mitchell Johnson was the third highest run-getter for Australia in the series © AFP
The Mitchell Johnson allrounder debate is over. His captain says he’san allrounder. He says he’s an allrounder. The figures from this tourback them up. After Johnson completed his first Test century and endedup with an unbeaten 123 at Newlands, he was named Player of the Seriesand it wasn’t a difficult decision. He was the equal leadingwicket-taker from either team and remarkably he was Australia’s thirdtop scorer in a winning series.It was fitting that at the end of such a magnificent summer hefinished on a personal high, even if his team lost. When he slappedDale Steyn over midwicket for six to reach triple figures for the onlytime in his first-class career, Johnson became the first AustralianNo. 8 to scorea century since Adam Gilchrist and the first regular in such a lowposition to achieve it since Gary Gilmour.As Johnson and Ponting sat next to each other after the match, Johnsonwas asked if he now considered himself an allrounder. A sidewaysglance at his captain and a pair of sly grins showed that it was atopic the two men had discussed. Ponting joked that Johnson could openthe batting in the upcoming Twenty20 internationals.”He’s an allrounder,” Ponting said. “I’ve had no doubt about him beingable to become an allrounder for Australia since the moment I saw himfirst bat. He’s always had the talent there and a good skill base. Heenjoys his batting, he works hard on his batting, now he needs to keepimproving in certain areas.”But as we saw today if someone can go out and make a Test matchhundred in 80-odd balls when you’ve got your backs to the wall, a lotof games are won and series changed as a result of somebody doingsomething like that. I have known he’s been capable of that. It’s amatter of him not being happy with what he’s done and keep workinghard and make himself into that really good allrounder that he hopeshe can become.”The milestone had come agonisingly close for Johnson in Johannesburg,where he smashed his way to 96 before losing his last two partners,Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus, in consecutive balls. There was asimilarly nervous moment for Johnson on this occasion.On 95 he watched on as Andrew McDonald and Siddle fell fromconsecutive deliveries. Fortunately for Johnson, Bryce McGain was ableto survive the final two balls of that Paul Harris over and within twomore deliveries Johnson had dispatched Steyn over the boundary tobring up his century.”It did pop up into my mind,” Johnson said when asked if he wasworried about another tail-end capitulation. “I was a little bitnervous and I started to think where I was going to get my next shot.I was thinking of getting down to Harris’ end and trying to hit himback over his head. But I had to have some faith in the guys, we havegot a good tail, I ended up getting it so I’m happy.”In Johannesburg it was Johnson’s sixes that wowed the crowd the most,including when he took 26 off one Harris over. At Newlands, where hecombined with Andrew McDonald for a 163-run seventh-wicket stand, themost impressive feature of Johnson’s innings was the way he ticked hisscore along with proper shots like powerful cover-drives and flicksthrough leg.Despite his success with the bat it is Johnson’s outstanding bowlingthat has frightened the South Africans more over the past few months.The series-defining moment came in Durban, when Johnson got a ball torise sharply and broke Graeme Smith’s right hand, after he had done asimilar thing to Smith’s other hand in January’s Sydney Test.”He’s an unbelievable cricketer, the type of cricketer any captainwants in his side,” South Africa’s allrounder and stand-in captainJacques Kallis said. “We saw that from early on in Australia. To bowlat 150kph like he does, being a left-armer as well, and then to comein at number seven or number eight and hit the ball as cleanly as hedoes, what more do you want?”Australia’s challenge in the next couple of years will be ensuringthat Johnson doesn’t break down due to his heavy workload. He bowledmore overs in this series than anyone besides the South Africa spinnerHarris. It will help if Australia resist the urge to bump him up thebatting order and let his runs continue to be a pleasant bonus.”You can call me an allrounder if you like,” Johnson said. “I enjoybatting at eight, eight or nine for me, I’m happy.”
