Merv Hughes defends Mitchell Johnson’s bowling

Despite all the criticism that Mitchell Johnson has received at the end of the first Ashes Test match at Brisbane, former selector Merv Hughes has come out in support of the beleaguered bowler. Hughes has said that he will not drop Johnson from the starting
line-up of the second Test that gets underway at Adelaide from Friday, December 3.

Johnson struggled in the first Test match at Gabba and failed to pick up a single wicket in the game. He conceded 170 runs and looked below par for most part of the game. He looked tensed and the lack of confidence was very palpable. To make matters more difficult,
the potential all-rounder was also dismissed for a duck and failed to hold on to a catch in the field.

However, despite all this, Hughes has said that Johnson should be afforded more confidence by allowing him to be the part of the playing eleven of the second Test. He reasoned, “Adelaide is probably going to suit Mitchell Johnson a little bit better than Brisbane
because it sort of slides on, his extra pace is going to be useful.”

He also added that it was not as if the rest of the Australian bowlers had done a great job either.

Hughes said that it was the other fast bowler Ben Hilfenhaus who was more disappointing for him. The former selector said that he had expected Hilfenhaus to bowl much better than he did on the first day. Hilfenhaus ended with match figures of 1/142 and the
only wicket that he got was off the third ball of the first day’s play. After that, he went almost 50 overs without a wicket.

Hughes said, “Ben Hilfenhaus … he was the guy up there that I expected, especially on the first day, to do a really good job.”

Australia take on England in the second Test match from Friday at Adelaide. The Adelaide track has often been described as a batting-friendly surface. That could only add to the Australian woes.