Thaindian News

London, Dec. 20 (ANI): Former England captain Geoffrey Boycott believes Mitchell Johnson has the ability to be Australia’s version of Andrew Flintoff after his man-of-the-match display in the third Ashes Test in Perth.

Johnson scored a first innings half-century and claimed nine wickets for the match as Australia levelled the series one-all with their 267-run victory at the WACA.

Boycott, who played 108 Tests for England, feels Johnson could be as crucial as former English all-rounder Andrew Flintoff proved to be in the 2005 Ashes series.

“They have one bowler who bowls quicker than us, he may bowl some rubbish at times, but he does have moments when he does bowl like Flintoff,” Boycott told the BBC.

“He (Flintoff) had moments when he could lift the team, he could expose the opposition through aggressive pace bowling and he could lift the crowd.

“Now, Mitchell Johnson’s a bit like that. He’ll have days when he’s very ordinary, sprays it, length, line, all over, but he does have moments, this is the thing, like Flintoff, when he can win the game.”

Boycott also savaged England’s performance in Perth, saying the manner of the defeat had been too meek.

“They’ve been thrashed. Absolutely thrashed out of sight,” he said.

The 70-year-old felt if the MCG wicket for the Boxing Day Test is anything like the one at the WACA he could only see one outcome. (ANI)