Johnson still one of the key bowlers – Greg Chappel
Mitchell Johnson, the Australian pacer, has got the backing of teammates and team management despite his wayward performance in Brisbane opener. Johnson returned wicket-less in the first Ashes Test played at Gabba. His match figures
of 0 for 170 have placed him in the firing line for media and fan criticism but the management including coach Tim Neilsen and the national selector Greg Chappel have supported the pace bowler.
The full-time selector of Australia said that the management is not worried about the Test form of Johnson. "We obviously recognise he's not in the peak of form at the moment, so we're keen to see him back to that as soon as possible.
Players go through ups and downs in various stages of their careers,” said Chappel.
The national selector, however, did opine that the panel is in favour of adopting a rotation based policy for its bowlers given the tough schedule of the ongoing series – five matches in seven weeks.
"We're conscious of the fact there's five matches in seven weeks. We were always going to look at playing horses for courses to get the best combinations for each wicket. For that reason primarily, also conscious of the fact we can't
expect to take the same bowlers through five matches in seven weeks."
But neither Bollinger nor Hilfenhaus have a first-class experience of Adelaide Oval comparable to Mitchell Johnson who has claimed 31 first-class scalps there at a promising bowling average of 22.93 from just six games. Only Ryan Harris,
in the preliminary 13-man squad for Adelaide Test, holds a better record at the venue as he has spent most of his cricketing career playing for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Australia-c844 before moving to the Bulls.
The lack of penetration of Australian attack in the second innings of England prompted the selectors recall Ryan Harris and Doug Bollinger for the second Test. Due to inclusion of these two pacers, Johnson might find his place in the
Test squad in jeopardy for the first time since debuting in November 2007.
Merv Hughes, the recently axed selector of Australia, has urged the selection panel not to cut the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Queensland-c834 left-armer as it would dent his confidence.
“I think we are just starting to get too critical. We are starting to expect a lot from http://www.senore.com/Cricket/A-Young-c41367 man that, yes, he has got talent, but really hasn't matured or developed into the cricketer that he can be. And by cutting him short, and
leaving him out of this Test match, it's going to dent his confidence more than anything else."
The former Australia selector also predicted that the Adelaide track would suit Johnson a bit more than the Gabba pitch. Hughes feels the little bit slide would offer Johnson some extra pace that would be quite useful for the dented
Australia side.
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