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  Feared Mitchell Johnson calls it a day

Feared Mitchell Johnson calls it a day

AFP
Published : Nov 17, 2015, 10:53 pm IST
Updated : Nov 17, 2015, 10:53 pm IST

Retiring Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson said he simply lost the hunger to play Test cricket.

Pacers Mitchell Starc (left) and Josh Hazlewood carry Mitchell Johnson on their shoulders out of the Waca.  (Photo: AP)
 Pacers Mitchell Starc (left) and Josh Hazlewood carry Mitchell Johnson on their shoulders out of the Waca. (Photo: AP)

Retiring Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson said he simply lost the hunger to play Test cricket. The 34-year-old announced his immediate retirement from international cricket before the final day’s play against New Zealand at the WACA Ground on Tuesday.

The home side declared at 385/7 after lunch, leaving the Kiwis needing an unlikely 321 to win from 48 overs to level the series, at almost seven runs per over. When stumps was called early with 20 overs left, the Kiwis were 104/2, with Ross Taylor on 36 and Kane Williamson on 32.

While he admitted his body was sore, he said it was the mental aspect of Test cricket that prompted the decision.“I just lost that hunger in the end to play on those tough days,” he said. “That was something I used to really enjoy about Test cricket was those challenges of those difficult days out there, but I just wasn’t enjoying it. “I felt I couldn’t compete at this level any more — on those tough days I didn’t want to be there.

“It was a little bit physical, but it was more the mental side of things, I had just had enough.”

SCOREBOARD Australia (1st innings): 559/9 decl. New Zealand (1st innings): 624 Australia (2nd innings): 385/7 decl. FoW: 1-8, 2-46, 3-270, 4-277, 5-294, 6-355, 7-366. Bowling: Southee 25-4-97-4, Boult 19-2-77-2, Bracewell 20-5-62-1, Henry 20-7-53-0, Craig 18-1-81-0 , Williamson 1-0-8-0. New Zealand (2nd innings): T. Latham c Hazlewood b Johnson 15, M. Guptill c Burns b Johnson 17, K. Williamson (not out) 36, R. Taylor (not out) 32. Extras: (4b) 4. Total: (for 2 wkts, in 28 overs) 104. FoW: 1-34, 2-44. Bowling: Starc 6-1-33-0, Hazlewood 6-3-3-0, Johnson 6-2-20-2, Lyon 7-0-35-0, Marsh 3-0-9-0.

Location: Australia, West Australia, Perth