Butch says Johnson is in his Ashes form and Hazlewood has the lot
Saturday 20 December 2014 12:42, UK
Steven Smith has eliminated any doubts over his captaincy credentials by guiding Australia to victory over India in the second Test at the Gabba, says Mark Butcher.
Smith stood in as skipper for the injured Michael Clarke and as well as leading his side to a four-wicket triumph, also plundered his second century of the four-match series.
When he goes to the Boxing Day Test, the players will be looking forward to his leadership rather than wishing Clarke was back.
“As a young captain looking to stamp your authority, you need to perform your skill and Smith did that with his batting,” said Sky Sports pundit and former England batsman Butcher.
“But if you get off to a win as well then any murmurings there may have been about whether the right guy is at the helm disappear.
“When he goes to the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne now, the players will be looking forward to his leadership rather than wishing Clarke was back.
“You have to pinch yourself to remember that Smith is only 25 and was hardly a regular in the side until 12 months ago because he bats with such skill and daring now.”
Smith was named man of the match after notching 133 in Australia’s first innings in Brisbane – his sixth Test hundred – but Mitchell Johnson also enjoyed a stunning game with bat and ball.
The Queenslander scored a 93-ball 88, including 13 fours and six, as he and Smith put on a Gabba record seventh-wicket partnership of 148 in Australia’s first knock.
Johnson then blitzed India’s middle order on Saturday morning, snaffling Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma within the space off 11 deliveries to set up the hosts’ triumph.
Butcher was impressed by Johnson’s heroics, which helped his side move 2-0 up following their 48-run win in Adelaide last weekend, but also reserved praise for Test debutant Josh Hazlewood, who snared 5-68 in India’s first innings with his metronomic seam.
“It was a stunning performance from Johnson, who was in India’s faces ever since he came out batting in Australia’s second innings and scored runs for fun,” said Butcher.
“He can look innocuous at times and be streaky, while the radar can be all over the place even when the ball is coming out of his hand quickly.
“But if you give him one sign of encouragement, he locks in and you are in serious trouble, and there were shades against India of the man who terrorised England in the Ashes.
“Hazlewood, meanwhile, is impressive and the key is his accuracy.
“You can talk about pace and guys being able to bowl extreme deliveries with movement or swing but good old-fashioned line and length does the job.
“He can be dangerous when the ball is swinging but also hit the pitch when the ball stops swinging so he has got plenty of weapons in his armoury.
“The only thing that stands in his way is that he tends to break down occasionally.”
Butcher added: “Australia are on a massive roll at the moment, but there are one or two areas of concern, with Brad Haddin and Shane Watson struggling for runs and Shaun Marsh not nailing down a place in the middle order.
“India, meanwhile, can look at Murali Vijay’s form as a victory but at crucial periods of games they are being steamrollered.”
Watch the third Test between Australia and India, from 11.30pm, Christmas Day, Sky Sports 2.
