What has happened to Mitchell Johnson?
From the loungerooms of Launceston to the Long Room at Lord’s, no single issue has dominated discussion quite like Mitchell Johnson’s plummeting fortunes in England. The conquistador of South Africa has been reduced to an erratic, unreliable bit-part player this week, placing tremendous pressure on his fellow bowlers and greatly reducing Ricky Ponting’s options. The world’s third-ranked bowler was the third best paceman in the Australian attack on Saturday, and a distant one at that. Too short, too wide and too easily dominated by England’s openers, Johnson left Ponting with few alternatives other than to withdraw him from the attack after just three overs in the hope Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus would prove less wasteful with the new ball. Australia depend heavily on Mitchell Johnson to provide the breakthroughs. He is the only bowler in the Australian line up who can run through a batting line up. His bad form has been the main reason why England are in such a great position in th
