[Archive Blog (21/10/15)] Mitchell Johnson : Fast, Quick and Aggressive

Last week Australia’s Premiere Fast Bowler, Mitchell Johnson retired from all format of cricket. He was quick, fast and aggressive. Started his cricketing career for Queensland he had a childhood dream to play Tennis but his fate was something else. He catches the eyes of Dennis Lillee in fast bowling clinic in Brisbane at the age of 17 and considered as rare talent to bowl quick. Lillee send him to Rod Marsh who arranged Johnson to join Australian Cricket Academy in Adelaide. Although he was going to start his first class career immediately which was ruined because of back injury. He waited for 2 years and eventually debut for Queensland against New Zealand.

Johnson’s first catchy performance was against India in DLF Cup Malaysia, a triangular series between India, Australia and West Indies. In a rain spoiled game he bowled fast and quick to dismiss Tendulkar, Dravid, Yuvraj and Pathan and gave a figure of 4/11 in 4 overs. It was a major breakthrough for a player like him. He’s having slingy action and very quick to bowl which generates the pace of over 150Kph. He’s a master class of his own who can bowl quick, very quick. He even broke the wrist of Graeme Smith twice and Jacque Kallis’s once.

Although he having professional and personal problems through out his career but all the time he overcome those by making a big comebacks. Its easy to become fast bowlers but match winning test fast bowlers by bowling 150 case is a sheer talent. After Wasim Akram he probably the world’s most threatening left handed fast bowler, he’s consistent pace in a hard deck is enough to disturb someone’s rhythm. Australia’s is not much known of its spin department after Shane Warne only Nathon Lyon found some success in Test but Team who’s heavily relying on Fast Bowler needs some fine Talent. Replacement of Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie is a tough ask but not difficult either.

Fitness is a biggest acid for any fast bowler specially bowler who have not a conventional action, Mitch Johnson is a best example of how a player can do it although he did have a problem in his decade long career but he keeps on overcoming from the blow and keeps on raising the bar of his performance. He had a toe injury after a disappointed 2010-11 Ashes it was a most important series on which he needs to perform but he failed to do so, he’s poor form made him a subject for Barmy Army to chant against him. Toe injury was a moment to escape from a bad form he had on that point of time.

Controversial Homework-gate incident at 2012-13 too is a life changing moment for him as per his column for FOX SPORTS, he reveled that he was upset and bowled a quick fires to Late Phil Hughes and Glenn Maxwell for next 45 minutes. That series is still a unforgettable test series for India’s prospective where India beat Australia by 4-0 in 4 Match Series quite comprehensively. That series was the most talked one in the history of both India and Australia.

A big change of Mitchell Johnson’s career came after a demise of his team mate Philip Hughes on the Cricket Field, bower like Mitchell Johnson who was fast, quick, ruthless can’t digest that blow ever because Phil died while playing a bouncer of Victorian Fast Sean Abbott, this horrific tragedy is enough to thrill anyone and ofcourse Johnson too must come on this blow. At Adelaide test when he bowled the bouncer to Virat Kohli which hit on his helmet he and every Australian player immediately ran to look on Virat all right, Johnson must be in more shock then anyone else on that moment that was the first test Australia was playing after a tragic incident. A shy relief for everyone when Kohli signaled as everything is ok.

In Johnson’s recent column he admitted that he lost the hunger to play, he already made his mind to retire after a disappointed 2015 Ashes Tour. Couple of Senior players including Micheal Clarke already decided to hang their boots but later Johnson believed on himself by seeing young lads bowling fast and quick for their Team but Johnson need the one bad test match to called off his day. Recently concluded 2nd Test Match against New Zealand in Western Australia turned down his last. Although he did surpassed Brett Lee’s 311 Test Wickets and become the 4th leading test wicket takers for Australia joining the club of great legends like Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Dennis Lillee

Mitchell Johnson believed on himself and self determination to comeback strongly made him special among others, he retire by himself, decided on his own eventually gave up cricket on his domestic home ground WACA where he moved from Queensland at 2008 for his family. Still Johnson can carry on for another 1 – 2 years if not in longer format then on shorter format but he decided to end his decade long stint with a great style of 2/20 in his final spell of 6 overs. Hopefully we see Mitch Johnson bowl in T20 Cricket and become Teacher of Future Talents.

[Archive Blog (23/08/15)] Legends Retirement – End of an Era

Week started with a Legendary Retirements of Kumar Sangakkara and Michael Clarke both were started their career in 2 different era but ended at the same era. Both are the idol of World Cricket may not be toppest most superstars but they atleast registered themselves in Historic book. I can’t judge their glamorous presence Clarke even had a controversy way back which is not a idol time to raise but overall whatever they was in the cricketing field matters most.

Kumar and Michael ended in a 2 opposite characteristics side, 1 was too dominate and won’t hesitate to bully others another one was silent attacker, you will never feel Sri Lankan Teams presence if they play fairly but always creates controversy when they tries to fox teams.

Obviously players would adopt the same characteristics of the Team but when you see Michael Clarke he’s believed on what he think is right even took a retirement before anyone could raises a finger on him.

Australians will always have 2 concerns 1st is Worldcup and 2nd is Ashes and despite of successfully leading the side in CWC 15, Clarke will carry the Tag of loosing Ashes. Wondering how long Clarke would go if Australia won the Ashes he might planned something else for that.

Coming to Sanga his last ever Worldcup was kind of run machine for him Century after Century even his last T20 Worldcup where he played a match winning knock to knockout India was a tremendous effort. But after Worldcup I think Sanga had enough probably for him its a right time to take some rest we may see him in T20 leagues.

Every year Cricket loosing some great Superstars from Cricket field they not only was a best sellers for ground ticket but also a plus for the Broadcasters, although we can’t stick with the time we have to move on but we have to agree with that its almost impossible to fill the gap of those players.

Each one of us having 1 dream player in mind we want that person to play till we last if he/she left the field means definition of that game is over, may be because he/she’s the one we get attracted towards the game hence our definition starts or end on that name. Many talented player although tries to fill the hanged shoes and they become quite successful too but I don’t think people will forget their last hero so easily.

We will miss all such greats and even thanks for their career and the memory they provided us, those breathe taking moments can’t be forgettable ever, those superb batting, bowling, fielding efforts will always be memorise us and excite us and will be in our mind and every enthusiasts will keeps on checking those on whatever modes its available.

Ending a career and starting a new one is just a start or end of an 1 chapter like we used to have in our schools, colleges it will be a never ending process until and unless game lasting with us, face will be change but the legacy will remain forever with the player, after the player.

[Archive Blog (17/08/15)] Australia’s last Ashes Test !!

From Thursday Australia going to play their last Ashes Test in Kennigton Oval. Although it’s a last test match of this series we will see many greats of Australia signing off from Red ball Cricket.

Michael Clarke and Chris Rogers already declared their retirements, Brad Haddin dropped after 1st Test his future is very dim and it would be a big surprise if CA calls him back, Aussies didn’t feel Shane Watson is fit enough for Test Cricket, Adam Voges already started his career too too late, no proper place for Shaun Marsh and who else left ? Possibly from bowlers ?

Ricky Ponting suggested some 8 – 9 players who was thinking for their retirement it means more then half of the Team will be signing off after Oval Test.

But Question arises why such a sudden desicion taken by everyone or they thought of it before the Ashes series ? I never saw such retirements in the Cricketing world after loosing test series infact selectors expect players to perform or they dropped them. Australia thinks differently atleast in Test Cricket and their strategy is very very different in Ashes, atleast when you hope Ryan Harris to come back into the Australian side and perform after a gap of year and so that too not properly rehabitate from the injury.

When you select a player which your captain is not confident on infact that player himself not wants to play then why pushing for the difficult task ? And ultimately Captain have to take the blame and sign off from the Cricket. Clarke may thought to left Cricket at the end of 2015 but forcefully do so because of poor performance from the camp and why not Australia didn’t won Ashes in England since 2005.

Huge round of pressure and expectations makes you to take a toughest decision of your career. Similar situation are with Aussie players they’re the current World Champions in ODi and last couple of series wins in Test excited them a lot but as any other visitors they too choked and fall short.

But we never saw such a huge number of retirements from any Team after loosing a Test Series, MS Dhoni took a retirement last year in between series against Australia after loosing a series but India lost many series from 2011 – 2014 under his Captaincy and England and Australia even swept India. But as per the fashion players won’t take retirement unexpectedly, we saw retirements in either player is in poor form and gonna drop or they feel they done with Test Cricket but all of sudden never or chances are less.

If you check the previous records Worldcup and Ashes gave most number of retirements because of obvious reason “High Stakes”.

Although Final Test is a Test Match of England but for Australia it is more then winning a Ashes or a Worldcup because final test is all about respect, dignity and winning a career, its no more for a Country now its now about winning something for personally, its about gifiting something for self. Hope they will fought like old Kangaroos in next 5 days.