Johnson warns Pietersen to be ready to face chin music
By ANISaturday, October 16, 2010
MELBOURNE - Australian pace spearhead Mitchell Johnson has opened his feud with Kevin Pietersen ahead of the Ashes series, and vowed to “get up his nose” with bouncers against the England batsman.
Johnson and Pietersen traded insults and had to be pulled apart by Stuart Clark in a heated confrontation before the first Ashes Test in Cardiff last year.
The incident, involving a stray ball that Pietersen hit towards Johnson in the Australian warm-up nets, caused extreme ill feeling between them.
“We don’t mind bowling short early, get up his nose. You like to go after the blokes who are the best in the world,” Johnson told Inside Cricket Magazine.
“It’s nice to get them out and it’s another intimidating factor for you down the track. There’s pressure on him being their best batter,” he said.
The rift between Johnson doesn’t show any sign of healing, News.com.au reports.
“He (Pietersen) is not someone I’m going to ring up every weekend. If I see him I’ll say hello. I’m not going to be the man who doesn’t say hello. That’s as far as it goes,” Johnson said. (ANI)
