Mitchell Johnson the great-run for cover to save your life!

A batsman or a bowler could be called great only if he performs the attributes of greatness consistently on any wickets at home and abroad and against all opposition. A batsman must score big runs against all types of bowling on wickets good and bad. Bowlers must capture wickets on surfaces conducive to spin or pace.

It is then that a batsman or a bowler could stake claims to be GREAT.

Occasionally scoring runs and taking wickets will not let batters or bowlers stake claims for greatness. One fast bowler that has greatness written all over him is Australia's jet paceman Mitchell Johnson. Johnson instilled fear into England batsmen during the Ashes series in Australia and is continuing to engulf fear on the South African batsmen on South African wickets.

Exciting Test series was expected

When the Australians arrived in South Africa after demolishing England, it looked as though the stage was set for an exciting three Test series considering that South Africa were the number one team.

But left-arm super jet Johnson has caused not only confusion with his life threatening deliveries directed constantly at 140 to 150 ks, but left the South African batsmen guarding against permanent injury to life and limb and instilling fear into them. Fast bowling of Johnson's speed and class had not been seen for a long time. Since the West Indian speed guns Wesley Hall, Charlie Griffith, Roy Gilchrist, Michael Holding, Andy Roberts and Malcolm Marshall, along with Frank Tyson and Brett Lee went out, speed bowling went out of vogue.

But starting with the Ashes series in Australia Johnson had England batsmen running for cover, he has now shaken and scared the South African batsmen who seem to be more happy being at the non striker's end or in the cool of the pavilion than face him.

Blown away like rag dolls

In the First of Three Test matches at the Centurion, he blew away the South African batsmen like rag dolls with sped bowling not seen in South Africa for a long time. In recent times, speed bowling was a forgotten art, what with spin

bowlers ruling the roost. At the beginning of one day cricket, it was medium pace bowlers who were the need. But now even that style of game has attracted spin bowlers, with some of them even opening bowling.

But now that Johnson has shown what speed bowling is all about,

youngsters taking to the game will be prompted to take to speed

bowling and bringing about a great transformation in bowling and the game. What's life threatening in Johnson deliveries is that he has the knack of directing the ball at great speed on the batsman's ribs or face which other speed bowlers are unable to perform.

Johnson's figures tell the story

His match figures of 12 for 127- 7 wickets in the first and 5 in the second innings tells the story of how the South Africans lost the First Test by 281-runs with more than a day to spare at the Super Sport Park.

When this column is being read, the Second Test will be in progress and unless the South African batsmen have found ways and means to blunt Johnson's frightening pace, the remaining Two Tests will easily go the Australian way which will be sad for South African cricket.

When the Australian batting was badly placed on 98 for 4, and a collapse was looming, Shaun Marsh son of former Australian opener Geoff, partnered by Steve Smith rescued the innings. Both notched centuries. Marsh was not in the original touring squad and was recalled as a replacement when Shane Watson was injured. He made the best use of the opportunity to play an innings that has stumped the selectors who will now not find it easy to drop him.

Shaun Marsh's maiden Test century

Marsh made a debut century against Sri Lanka in Pallekele and after that memorable beginning has found himself in and out of the team which was unfortunate. One hopes that this knock would be a new beginning for this hugely talented left hander.

Then right hander Steve Smith was also a revelation. Primarily thought to be a one-day player, the selectors tossed him against England in the Ashes series and he reeled off centuries and gave continuity to that form with another scintillating century against South Africa. Then in the second innings the effervescent left handed dasher David Warner smashed a three figure score. He is now batting at his peak and the South African bowlers are in for more punishment from his blazing bat.

The South Africans who are the number one Test playing team will not want to lose that proud standing and with the Australians determined to underline their superiority, the Second Test which is now in progress should be thriller.

Tikiri Marambe supporter of Kevin Pietersen

The other day I bumped into former Sri Lanka rugby Captain and later selector who needs no introduction to sports people here, former Trinitian and Group Captain Tikiri Marambe. Tikiri is the younger brother of Nihal. Both played cricket and rugby for Trinity with Tikiri opting to continue playing rugby with great distinction for CR and FC and Air Force and captaining Sri Lanka as a daring scrum half.

Nihal was a stylish batsman and has a century to his credit in the big match against St. Anthony's College Kandy. Nihal later went on to play cricket and rugby for the Army.

From rugby our conversation switched to cricket and I was amazed at Tikiri's knowledge of cricket all round from names of players and their records was amazing. As our conversation moved on I gathered he was an ardent England supporter and a die hard Kevin Pietersen fan.

Pietersen's dropping questioned and queried

The dropping of Pietersen from England's future rebuilding plans after their debacle which was a five-nil whitewashing by Australia in the Ashes series came in for query and criticism from several former greats including Ian Chappell and Ian Botham.

And joining those two greats and voicing similar opinions was Tikiri who is convinced that England by dropping Pietersen have cut their nose to spite their face will struggle sans the steadying influence of Pietersen and predicts that India will thrash them in the summer and that England will struggle in the next Ashes series. Tikiri was also of the opinion that Pietersen's career was prematurely terminated and was convinced that he has a lot more to offer England cricket. He admits that Pietersen is a maverick. But reckons that a good captain could have got him right.

He said as an England fan it was depressing to note that England after beating Australia 3-nil plummeted to unforeseen depths as their game became increasingly inept and dominated by a resurgent Australian side scalped them 5-0.

Michael Clarke's excellent leadership

He was convinced that it was the excellent leadership of Michael Clarke that turned fortunes around for his team compared to the negative captaincy of England's Alastair Cooke which lacked flair and imagination. He also spoke highly of Daren Lehmann's coaching and the environment he created for the Australian players to succeed and enjoy their cricket. He was convinced that it was Lehmann's goading and positive thinking that undermined the England spine. Tikiri also could not understand the quitting of one drop batsman Jonothan Trott who flew back claiming depression, Graeme Swann chickening out after the Third Test and the dropping of wicket keeper Matt Prior. He made bold to act a selector and said that England will have to search for an outstanding opener, two top order batsmen, a competent wicket keeper and a penetrative off spinner in their re-building process.

England will struggle in T20 and WC

Tikiri also predicted that England will lose to the West Indies in the Caribbean, fair poorly in the Twenty20 and 50-over World Cups and it also spells doom for England in the Ashes bash in 2015. It was indeed interesting chatting to this great former Trinity sportsman, who seems to know more about cricket than the game he excelled in - rugby.

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