Mitchell Johnson      

Full name Mitchell Guy Johnson

Born November 2, 1981, Townsville, Queensland

Current age 28 years 20 days

Major teams Australia, Queensland, Western Australia

Nickname Midge, Notch

Batting style Left-hand bat

Bowling style Left-arm fast

Height 1.89 m

"You break someone's hand, you send someone off to get stitches in their chin and you pick up a couple of important wickets - that's as intimidating as you can get." The maturing Mitchell Johnson impressed Jason Gillespie during his Durban demolition that showed he was Australia's next enforcer. Three for 37 doesn't look much on the scorecard, but it was the innings he completed the journey from a kid with massive potential to being the real deal.

While his removal of Hashim Amla and Neil McKenzie in his opening over at Kingsmead in March was impressive, it was the way he roughed up Graeme Smith, breaking a bone in the captain's hand for the second time in two months, and split Jacques Kallis' chin that highlighted his potency. Two of the hardest, most qualified Test batsmen had to retire hurt, looking like young boys collapsing to their older brother. If his inswinger keeps working and his pace continues to hover around 150kph, Johnson could be anything, although Botham-esque allrounder predictions following his run spree in South Africa are premature.

The first time Johnson frightened Smith's men was at the WACA, his nominal new home following his switch from Queensland (he didn't play a state game last summer), when he stormed to a career-best 8 for 61 in December. A quiet boy transformed into an aggressive fast man and his performance peaked with 5 for 2 in 21 balls of fear. He would hurt South Africa for the rest of summer, taking 33 wickets while adding two half-centuries and a breakthrough 123 not out in Cape Town. By then he had 60 victims in the 12 Tests of his second year as a fully-fledged international.

Johnson's arrival was trumpeted so loudly that when he made it to Test level - at the fresh age of 26 - he was slightly underwhelming. Instead of the thunder, lightning and ground-breaking success of 2008-09, he looked nervous, unsure and struggled with his action. Following a lengthy introduction to the set-up through the one-day system, Johnson was finally given a baggy green after spending the entire 2006-07 Ashes series as 12th man. Eight wickets in his opening two games against Sri Lanka showed proof of his potential and his useful variety, but by the end of his maiden season questions surrounded his lack of control and ability for regular penetration. They weren't being asked for long.

He started with 34 victims in nine Tests and a half-century against India at the WACA introduced his smooth batting skills. At the end of the campaign he moved to Perth to be with his girlfriend Jessica Bratich, a former national karate champion, and he occasionally helps out with her training.

Johnson grew up as Australia's most exciting fast-bowling prospect since Brett Lee first dyed his roots. Quick, tall - he's 189cm - and talented, his best attribute is being a left-arm quick. Only the digging up of a blond legspinner can create more excitement in an Australian cricket scene that has had just three of this style of diamond - Bill Johnston, Alan Davidson and Bruce Reid - pass 100 Test wickets. Picked in the one-day side on promise - his best first-class figures after 12 first-class games were 5 for 43 - Johnson grew steadily.

Dennis Lillee fell hard and instantly when he spotted Johnson as a 17-year-old at a Pace Australia camp and called him "a once in a generation bowler". Lillee immediately phoned Rod Marsh, who was then the Australian Academy head coach, and Johnson was quickly headed to Adelaide and the national under-19 team. Injuries, mostly to his back, kept interrupting his long-term plans, but he played a full season in 2004-05 and was a fixture with Queensland a year later after being picked for Australia A's tour of Pakistan. Another representative catapult arrived in December 2005 when Trevor Hohns launched him into the Australian one-day squad for the final match of the Chappell-Hadlee Series.

Johnson's domestic highlight came when he followed the Bulls' 6 for 900 declared in the 2005-06 Pura Cup final with 6 for 51 and ten for the match to mop up a demoralised Victoria. The display cemented a spot on the Bangladesh tour and when he came back he was given a full Cricket Australia contract only two years after driving a delivery truck and considering walking away from the game because of his fourth back stress injury.

On trips to Malaysia and India Johnson showed his capabilities with a series of big wickets, including Tendulkar, Dravid, Lara and Pietersen, and he spent the home season earning regular one-day spells and a World Cup place. More time was spent in the dressing room in the Caribbean, where he didn't play a game. Only injuries and a heavy workload can stop him now.
Peter English March 2009

ICC Cricketer of the Year 2009

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Nov 8, 2009

Mitchell Johnson celebrates a superb first over

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Nov 8, 2009

Mitchell Johnson rocked India with two early strikes

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Nov 7, 2009

Mitchell Johnson, Ricky Ponting and Tim Nielsen in discussion

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