Johnson doesn’t deserve to be brought back into Oz team: Lawson

SYDNEY - Fast bowler Mitchell Johnson does not deserve to be brought back into the Australian Ashes team after being left out of the squad for the Adelaide Test, said former pacer and Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson.

Pacers Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus, who both missed selection in Australia’s XI in Adelaide, have been included in the squad for the Perth Test.

Lawson said Johnson has put up a string of uninspiring efforts recently, including woeful match figures of 0-170 at the Gabba.

His most recent performance of note came in India, when he picked up 5-64 in the first innings of the opening Test in Mohali.

Lawson, who collected 180 wickets during his 46 Test career, said Johnson would have been better served heading straight back to Perth and seeking help from someone outside the Australian camp, rather than staying in Adelaide.

“He should have been sent to Bruce Reid, who’s a wonderful fast bowling coach and left-handed,” Lawson told WAtoday.com.au.

“He should have been dealing with the issue, he should not have been at Adelaide dealing with people who haven’t been able to fix his faults in the last couple of years,” he said.

“He needs something different, he needs a breath of fresh air, a different look at him and Bruce Reid would have been ideal,” Lawson said.

Lawson said he was “absolutely astonished” when he learned Johnson would not be lining up for WA against Queensland in the Sheffield Shield clash starting in Brisbane today. (ANI)