Johnson joins Australia’s 300 club

BIRMINGHAM: Mitchell Johnson became just the fifth Australia bowler to take 300 Test wickets as he hauled his side back into the third Ashes Test against England at Edgbaston on Thursday.
Left-arm fast bowler Johnson had started the match on 299 wickets but met with no success in his five overs on Wednesday’s first day at Edgbaston after Australia had collapsed to 136 all out.
But his third ball on Thursday saw Johnson to the 300 mark with a superb lifting delivery that recalled England batsman Jonny Bairstow, averaging over 100 in county cricket this season, could only fend off the glove to wicket-keeper Peter Nevill for five.
Two balls later, Johnson had his 301st Test wicket as a similar delivery had all-rounder Ben Stokes caught behind for a duck.
Only leg-spin great Shane Warne and fast bowlers Glenn McGrath, Dennis Lillee and Brett Lee had previously taken 300 Test wickets for Australia. And having scored three runs on Wednesday, Johnson became just the second Australian player, after Warne, to complete the Test double of 2,000 runs and 300 wickets.