He's fast... he's lethal... he's Mitchell Johnson

England’s chances of salvaging something out of the third Ashes Test at Perth starting on Friday look pretty bleak, to say the least. They are low on morale, having taken two thumping beatings, will be playing at a venue where they almost always lose (they have six defeats on the bounce at the WACA), but above all else they will be up against Mitchell Johnson. Ah, Mitchell Johnson. He is the man England fans mocked most mercilessly for two of the last three Ashes series, and Australia’s selectors appeared to spare him the indignity when not even picking him for the summer series in the UK. [caption id=“attachment_1281049” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Mitchell Johnson has been simply unplayable at times. Getty Images[/caption] When England and Australia lined up at the Gabba for the first Test on 21 November, it was two years to the days since he had limped away from the Wanderers with figures of 2-168. He had figured in only four Tests since. However, those who bothered to watch what was going on in the background knew Johnson was in a good frame of mind and playing well. You only had to see his impressive displays for the Mumbai Indians in their successful IPL campaign earlier this year to know that he was bowling with excellent control. Let’s dwell on this point a little, because many people would suggest it’s a ludicrous theory. Popular opinion states domestic Twenty20 cricket is too far removed from the rigours of Test matches to warrant cross-comparison of an individual’s form and improvement. However, where the IPL is concerned, there is such a premium on the fast bowlers to operate with discipline – otherwise they get severely punished. Johnson’s performances for the Mumbai Indians were good enough for him to be joint third-highest wicket-taker and his economy rate was 7.17 an over. Those are excellent statistics and his consistency in that arena appears to have genuinely carried through to his Ashes performances. He has also had a full diet of one-day cricket through 2013, and has been working exceptionally hard on his own game. In Brisbane, England’s batsmen, whether through a lack of respect, burn out, or simply shoddy technique, crumbled under the onslaught of a devastating Johnson. At Adelaide, on a much flatter and significantly slower wicket, he dismissed Alastair Cook twice for single-figure scores, adding eight wickets in all to the nine he had grabbed at the Gabba. Thus far then: 17 wickets in two Tests. He’s been so bang on the money it’s a miracle Australia’s Treasury hasn’t printed banknotes with his face on them. Best of all for him, and Australia… and worst of all for England, Johnson’s record at the Waca is something to behold: 36 wickets in five Tests. It’s not just the accuracy, of course. The ingredient that has given Johnson his cut-and-thrust, that has prompted a fear factor within England is that most elusive by-product of a fast bowler’s armoury but also the most important: pace. In the IPL, he was definitely keeping something back. Shaun Tait, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Umesh Yadav and even Dirk Nannes all sent down quicker deliveries than him. Now that he’s got the quicker Australian pitches at his disposal, Johnson is unleashing the full beast. This, together with his late swing, his angle of attack as a left-armer, and the extra bounce he gets has set all sorts of paradoxical, confused thoughts within the England batting unit. Do you stay on the back foot and only play at the straight ones? What if he bowls a full, fast straight ball? Are you going to come forward in time? Cook’s two dismissals to Johnson in Adelaide demonstrate the dilemma. In the first innings, he was in a defensive mind-set, and was beaten for pace, clean bowled as he pushed half forward. By the second innings, determined not to suffer the same indignity, he was more attack-minded and looked to pull the first bouncer Johnson sent down, eager, no doubt, not to be dictated to. A thick top-edge looped tamely to fine leg - England’s champion batsman and captain had held his bat in anger for a combined 20 minutes and four runs across both innings. How on earth can things get better for England in Perth, where everything appears to be in his favour? One of the fastest wickets in world cricket with capricious breezes aiding Johnson’s swing would appear to spell hell for England. Perhaps the intense heat forecast might melt Johnson. Well it’s something to hope for.