Johnson talks grip, action and pace in Ashes Zone Masterclass
Thursday 22 August 2019 11:44, UK
Nasser Hussain says he was terrified watching Mitchell Johnson bowl rockets in the 2013-14 Ashes series - so he would have been tentative ahead of facing him during the Australia quick's Sky Cricket Masterclass!
Johnson nailed his first ball to Nasser, cleaning him up with a superb in-swinger as Nass played a costly leave, before the Sky Cricket expert played a resolute block next ball at Lord's on Saturday morning.
Johnson - who claimed 313 wickets in 73 Tests after his focus switched from tennis to cricket - also bowled at Kumar Sangakkara, a man whose finger still bears the damage of a Johnson delivery a few years ago!
The left-arm slinger explained whether pace can be taught or you have to be born with it, plus revealed the grip he used to adopt and how he looked to swing the ball in England.
Johnson spoke, too, about why he lengthened his run-up later in his career, why he found it easier to bowl at left-handers, which short balls he had in his armoury, and why he used to hum the song from Frozen as he bowled.
We also learnt how Sangakarra looked to deal with a steaming-in Johnson - before he cam steaming in to Sanga and knocked over Nasser!
Watch the Mitchell Johnson Masterclass in full at the top of the page!
