Mitch says English on the ropes
MITCHELL Johnson has declared England are mentally shot and in a worse predicament than when he sliced and diced them four years ago.
The man who destroyed the careers of several English greats in the whitewash of 2013- 14 feels things are perhaps worse this time around, believing that Alastair Cook is thinking about retirement, Joe Root doubting his captaincy and Jonny Bairstow failing to live up to expectations.
Johnson returned to the Australian fold at the WACA yesterday at the invitation of coach Darren Lehmann, and says he feels the same magic around the camp as when he led his extraordinary rampage to reclaim the urn in Perth.
The 36- year- old Ashes hero revealed he was keen to bowl at his former teammates in the nets, but for fear of breaking fingers like he once did to David Warner in practice at the WACA, he instead stuck to a mentor role where he spent extensive time chatting with new pace cartel Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.
Reports emerged from The Times in England last night that several players – not just Ben Duckett – were guilty of pouring drinks over others at a Perth nightclub last week, adding further weight to the growing theory that Root’s side has serious disciplinary issues.
England are 2- 0 down, as they were four years ago, but Johnson says the old enemy are in a greater state of disarray.
“It seems like it’s worse when you’re sitting on the outside watching and seeing what’s unfolded so far from the offfield stuff,” Johnson said.
“England seem like there is a lot of stuff going on. I think there are a lot of distractions. I think they’ll be deflated from the last performance because it was talked about that was their best chance of winning in Adelaide, with the pink ball, and the conditions suited them.”