Cricket

[jim mk2]

That is a very good question, and I'm surprised that the international cricket authorities have not investigated him. Do they do drugs tests? Before this winter Johnson was regarded as a joke bowler - especially in England - and his total transformation at this stage in his career in just a few short months has been nothing short of remarkable. Sportsmen do not make such vast improvements in such a short space of time without "help" - I cannot think of any athlete who has overturned his or her career in the same way. Australia also have form in this respect - Warne failed a drugs test at the World Cup in 2003 so if Johnson were taking substances it would not be a surprise.

[Al]

Johnson is just on another level at the moment, fortunately he is 32 and not 22

Corrected it for you.

[broadsword]

What would he have been taking? His problem was that he had the speed but was firing it all over the place. I'll admit, he's improved out of all recognition, but he's always been capable of doing that

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Still confused as to why so few people seem to consider him a cheat. Slinging the ball sideways the way he does allows him to get a better angle at and closer to the batsman when he releases. If its not cheating then all up and coming ballers should learn how to do it, and we would have an pretty undignified spectacle to watch in 10-20 years.

[Guest Norbert]

Who's that SKH? Malinga? You're right though, as he's a brilliant death bowler in the one day formats. He probably averages about 3.5 in T20 games.

As for Johnson, I think it is a combination of a change in his run up, action or whatever, and just finding new confidence. I think he had a lot of family problems that really destroyed him at one point but they've now gone. And Lehmann has somehow told him how good he is etc. and really made him want to attack the batsman.

[Simon Says]

Hard work in the nets have made him the bowler we now see.

He always had pace, but was wild. The difference now is in delivery. His arm and wrist are a lot more upright. This hasn't happened by accident. Hours and hours have been put in.

[Guest Norbert]

In some ways it's good to see. He seems a decent guy, and it's always good to see a sh_t your pants fast bowler. We could do with one.

[dave birch]

That is a very good question, and I'm surprised that the international cricket authorities have not investigated him. Do they do drugs tests? Before this winter Johnson was regarded as a joke bowler - especially in England - and his total transformation at this stage in his career in just a few short months has been nothing short of remarkable. Sportsmen do not make such vast improvements in such a short space of time without "help" - I cannot think of any athlete who has overturned his or her career in the same way. Australia also have form in this respect - Warne failed a drugs test at the World Cup in 2003 so if Johnson were taking substances it would not be a surprise.

WB, Johnson has previous where the Saffers are concerned, he tore them apart the last series but one in SA. It was after that when the powers that be in Cricket Australia decided that his action need changing. All it did was stuff it up. It has taken since then for him to get back to what we see today.

Nothing to do with drugs, if you can't bowl to start with, no amount of drugs will enable you to start bowling like he does. If you want to blame anything or anybody, blame Dennis Lillee and Craig McDermott for rehabilitating MJ.

[SouthAussieRover]

Australia's new self belief should send a message to the ECB...stay clear of Mikey Arthur

[dave birch]

Indeed, Don, get someone in with a bit of nouse and a lot of passion.

[chaddyrovers]

Broad yesterday endorsed Giles to be the next England Cricket team director/head coach

for me, the next team Director/head coach should be English for me IMO..either Giles or Peter Moores from Lancashire for me.

Also what has been reported in the Media in the Last Week that Morgan is in line to replace KP now he has ditched the IPL and now will play County Championship cricket from the start of the season.

[Guest Norbert]

Good God, not wheelie bin Giles. We have been rubbish at 1 day level. Obviously the stuffing at the ashes affected things, but the team even lost when it was easier to win this year. He's just another nice mild mannered yes man.

[broadsword]

Yes, Giles does not inspire any confidence in me at all, Moores previously failed with England, why should we get him back?

Let's turn it upside down a bit, see what change falls out

[chaddyrovers]

Giles has never had his best team out there. some players have always been rested for fitness reasons or for the test matches.

Moores failed???.He was the man who put the structures in place. highly rated by as a coach by many Cricket pundits. David Lloyd have said he would pick Moores as his choice for next Head coach.

who would you pick as England Head Coach then? please can u give us a name or a couple of choices please?

another person I would consider would be Yorkshire director of cricket Martyn Moxon.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Moores has a lot of fans at top level in cricket.

Edited February 19, 2014 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[Guest Norbert]

I suppose the biggest issue against Moores returning has recently signed for the Delhi Daredevils.

In no order, I suggest:

1. Moxon

2. Moores

3. Moody

4. The Durham coach (it isn't Collingwood is it?)

And then let them pick the team, and act as a manager in football. No more muddled group decisions about player selection.

[chaddyrovers]

England have a Chairman of Selectors who is James Whittaker. plus Giles and Fraser are the other selectors.

they pick the squad for the games then head Coach and Captain pick the team. the Captain need to have final say cos he is in charge on the field n losses n wins goes on his record as captain not the coach.

[Guest Norbert]

What a stupid way of doing things. The squad and starting 11 should be picked by the coach, and the captain should run the team whilst on the pitch, but can discuss who gets in the 11 with the coach. Why have Whittiker etc. involved? Only in cricket is it deemed appropriate that there should be 3 people picking the squad, and then leave the work for two or more other people to run the team before and during a game.

[chaddyrovers]

every test playing country has a chairman of selectors.

the system has been in place for a number of years. DEFO DONT SEE the problem with it.

James Whittaker and Fraser will be watching players in the county game whlist international games are going on.

[dave birch]

puts the Ashes series into context, doesn't it.

Beating the number one test team on their own turf.

This IS a good Aussie side, and it's not the finished article yet. This is a team in transition, and hopefully will continue to produce.

Clarke has won me over with that first innings 165, and the way he overcame that assault (for that is what it was) on him.

He's up there with Steve Waugh now.

Dave Warner, speaks his mind and then let's his bat do the talking.

[somersetrover]

puts the Ashes series into context, doesn't it.

Beating the number one test team on their own turf.

This IS a good Aussie side, and it's not the finished article yet. This is a team in transition, and hopefully will continue to produce.

Clarke has won me over with that first innings 165, and the way he overcame that assault (for that is what it was) on him.

He's up there with Steve Waugh now.

Dave Warner, speaks his mind and then let's his bat do the talking.

It's a decent Aussie team but nothing more sadly test cricket is in a poor state at the moment on and off the field.

As for Clarke he's a good captain I've always said that but in the last test his captaincy was poor why he batted on so long was baffling and it nearly cost his team a game that they should have won easy.

[SouthAussieRover]

A totally overrated team beating teams in transition.

Ugly behaviour once again by the captain and Mitchell Johnson in the closing stages of day 5.

As for Warner...a $2000 fine was not sufficient punishment.

Edited March 7, 2014 by SouthAussieRover

[old darwen blue]

Is this thread still actually going?

[dave birch]

It must be, ODB if you're posting on it

Don, the team in transition is the Aussie one.

Notwithstanding that, it was a tremendous series, full of ups and downs for both sides. Shame Steyn got injured in the last test.

The standard of cricket and the excitement got many Indian followers on cricinfo.com going.

Shame Smith saw that this was the time to retire, not pretty to watch, but a very important part of the Saffers set up. He had a couple more years left in him I thought.

[neekoy]

Don, c'mon mate. It was great series win. Your dismissive attitude of an underrated team is confusing.