Strauss questions Johnson’s axing for second Ashes Test

ADELAIDE - England captain Andrew Strauss reckons that it is a “big call” by Australia to drop out of sorts fast bowler Mitchell Johnson for the second Test match of the Ashes series, starting in Adelaide on Friday.

Strauss described Johnson as an important player for Australia.

“It’s quite a big call for them to leave him out, but that’s not something that concerns us,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Strauss, as saying.

“You can’t worry about what’s happened already or get sidetracked by it,” he added.

Johnson has been dropped from Australia’s 12-man squad for the second Test match due to his poor form.

The left-arm fast bowler had a horror time during the drawn first Test in Brisbane, where he finished with match figures of 0-170, dropped a catch and made a 19-ball duck.

“Mitchell Johnson is out of the side, so we are down to the other quickies left and we’ll decide the final make-up of the XI in the morning. The selectors felt that he just down on a bit of form and down on a bit of rhythm, I think that was probably highlighted in the last game,” Australian captain Ricky Ponting said.

“As we all know, the game of Test match cricket is hard enough as it is without having to try and find those types of things in the middle of a Test match,” he added.

Johnson is likely to be replaced in the starting XI by Doug Bollinger, who was surprisingly left out of the opening Test when the selectors opted for first innings hero Peter Siddle. (ANI)