Mitchell Johnson

 ( 1981 Births ) 

Johnson switched from the Queensland Bulls to the Western Warriors on 25 July 2008.

Johnson gave the first signs of his potential at international level against the strong Indian batting line-up in a One Day International in Malaysia, Johnson's 7th. He took 4/11 off just 4 overs, including the wickets of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh. Johnson then played in the Australian 2006 ICC Champions Trophy team and in the group A match against England where he took 3/40, including the wicket of Kevin Pietersen.

Johnson was chosen to be in the squad for the first The Ashes Test beginning on 23 November 2006, but was 12th man in all of the games.

On 10 November 2007, while making his Australian Test match debut against Sri Lanka at his home ground, the Gabba, Johnson took his first wicket – that of Thilan Samaraweera, caught by Adam Gilchrist. Johnson went on to take 4/96 in the match.

On 19 January 2008, Johnson scored his first ever Test half-century, against India in Perth, having been both dropped and bowled off a no-ball, although Australia ended up losing the match.

On the second day of the first Test against South Africa in Perth on 18 December 2008, Johnson took seven wickets for just 12 runs, including five wickets for two runs near the close, to reduce the tourists from 3/234 to 8/241. He ended with 8/61 the next day. Despite this performance, Australia went on to lose the Test. Batting with Michael Clarke, he made 64 later in the series.

In the second Test, he unleashed a fiery spell of fast bowling that gained him two wickets in his first over and three in his first spell, as well as sending both Jacques Kallis and Graeme Smith off, retired hurt. After this, notable cricket commentator Peter Roebuck described him as the best fast bowler in the world. "Injuries pave way for Johnson's redemption" by Steve O'Loughlin, BackPageLead, 18 September 2013

In the third Test, with Australia almost defeated, he struck his maiden Test century 123 not out, reaching triple figures in only 86 balls. With tail-ender Bryce McGain for company, Johnson decided to take on the bowling and struck Dale Steyn for six to reach his century. Although Australia went on to lose the Test match by an innings, Johnson was named man of the series, with 16 wickets and over 250 runs in 3 matches.

During the 2009 Ashes tour he was criticised for his poor bowling and his lack of control. Johnson's position as spearhead of the Australian seam-attack was called into question, with match figures of 3/200 in the second Test at Lord's and his demotion to first-change bowler in Australia's tour game against Northamptonshire. In the match against Northamptonshire, he returned 7/67 from 18.1 overs as Australia won by 135 runs. Despite his poor form he was selected for the third Test. Johnson consequently re-discovered some form in the fourth Test, taking 5/69 in the second innings.

Australia came into the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy ranked second in ODIs; along with being the event's reigning champions. "More mismatch than rematch", ESPNcricinfo, 26 September 2009, accessed 27 September 2009 They opened their campaign against an undermanned West Indian outfit who were without prominent players because of an industrial dispute. "Under-strength Windies worry Ponting" , Trinidad News, 25 September 2009, accessed 26 September 2009 After being put into bat, Australia fell to 7/172 after 40 overs, before finishing on 8/275 in 50 overs as the pitch flattened out. Johnson scored a career best 73 not out, as Australia scored 69 runs from their batting Powerplay (between overs 44 and 49). In an innings which produced "fierce, clean hitting", Johnson struck three sixes and eight fours in his quick-fire 47 ball innings. Although Johnson went wicketless in the West Indian innings, he secured the man of the match award as Australia won by 50 runs. "Johnson's runs 'proved vital' – Ponting", ESPNcricinfo, 27 September 2009, accessed 27 September 2009 "Australia survive West Indies scare", ESPNcricinfo, 26 September 2009, accessed 27 September 2009

Johnson appeared to get back to his best towards the end of 2009, earning praise from captain Ricky Ponting during the summer series against both the West Indies and Pakistan. He finished the year as the world's top wicket-taker (63) and also became the first Australian to take 30 wickets and score 300 runs in a calendar year. Johnson's best T20I batting performance was a 28 not out against Sri Lanka during the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 tournament played in England and his best bowling was 3–15, also recorded against Sri Lanka during the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 tournament in the West Indies.

Before the 3rd Test against India in March 2013, Johnson was dropped along with James Pattinson, Shane Watson and Usman Khawaja following a breach of discipline. Michael Clarke, the captain, revealed that the extreme step had been taken as a result of repeated infractions which led to Watson flying back home and contemplating Test retirement. Former players reacted with astonishment at the harsh decision taken by the team management.

In the second Test match at Adelaide Oval, Australia batted first and scored 570 runs in the first two days on a pitch that was very good for batting. England started their first innings at the end of day two, and Johnson dismissed captain Alastair Cook early. On day three, Johnson bowled a spell after lunch that saw him take 5 wickets for just 12 runs. Johnson dismissed the settled batsman Ben Stokes, then the incoming batsman Matt Prior three deliveries later. English bowler Stuart Broad came in to bat next, and he spent time asking for something on the sight screen to be fixed before facing a ball. Johnson bowled Broad the next ball, putting him on a hat trick. Four overs later, Johnson dismissed Graeme Swann, which brought James Anderson in to bat. Johnson bowled Anderson first ball, putting him a hat trick for the second time, and gave Anderson a long stare-down as Anderson departed. Johnson took England's final wicket later in the day, and finished the innings with bowling figures of 7 wickets for 40 runs. Australia won the match, and Johnson finished with 17 wickets from the first two matches.

Johnson continued his exceptional form throughout the series, finding the consistency he had previously lacked, and took 37 wickets in the five-match series, which Australia won 5–0. He was named man of the series, having been man of the match in three of the five matches (the first, second and fourth Tests). At the end of the series in January 2014, Johnson also won the Allan Border Medal (awarded to the best-performing male Australian cricketer of the year) for the first and only time in his career.

During the first innings of the 2015 Ashes series, he picked up the worst bowling figures of his career, 0–111, where he was torn apart by England's batsmen. However, in the 2nd Test at Lord's, Johnson recovered to take 6 wickets in the match and a run-out of Ben Stokes to help Australia to a 405-run win to level the series with England at 1–1. In the next Test at Edgbaston, Johnson became the first Australian player since Shane Warne to claim at least 300 wickets and score at least 2000 runs.

Johnson announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket on 17 November 2015, before play on the final day of the second Test of the Trans-Tasman Trophy series, a three-match series against New Zealand. While coming out to bat in his last innings later that day at his adopted home ground, the WACA, Johnson received a guard of honour from the New Zealand players, who congratulated him for his prolific career. He scored 35 runs in his final innings and then took both wickets in New Zealand's second innings, with the match ending in a draw that was enough for Australia to retain the Trans-Tasman Trophy.

• The fifth highest wicket-taker in Test matches for Australia with 313 wickets, passing Brett Lee's tally of 310 Test wickets in his final Test.
• The fourth highest wicket-taker among left-arm fast bowlers in Tests, behind Mitchell Starc (420, currently active), Wasim Akram (414) and Chaminda Vaas (355).
• Has the best bowling figures for a left-arm fast bowler in a single Test innings – 8/61 vs South Africa at the WACA in 2008.
• Took the most wickets (37) in the 2013–14 Ashes series at an bowling average of 13.97 – the most by a fast bowler in the Ashes since 1981.
• Has the most number of Test wickets against South Africa (64), since their return to international cricket in 1992.
• Took 80 wickets (in 39 innings) in the 4th innings of a Test match, which is fifth best for any bowler and second best among fast bowlers, behind only Glenn McGrath (103).
• The 13th player overall and second Australian, after Shane Warne, to take 300+ wickets and score 2000+ runs in Test cricket.
• Has 590 international wickets (313 in Tests, 239 in ODIs and 38 in T20Is) to his name across all formats, in just 256 international matches (320 innings) at an average of 26.65. He is also fifth on the list of international wicket-takers for Australia, behind Shane Warne (1001), Glenn McGrath (949), Brett Lee (718) and Mitchell Starc .

• Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy (ICC Cricketer of the Year): 2009, 2014
• ICC Test Player of the Year: 2014
• ICC Test Team of the Year: 2009, 2014
• ICC ODI Team of the Year: 2008
• McGilvray Medal: 2008, 2009
• Allan Border Medal: 2014

In 2016, Mitchell Johnson published his autobiography Resilient.