Proteas fans excited by Johnson

If Mitchell Johnson was carrying mixed emotions when he landed in South Africa five days ago, then he kept them well hidden as he swept through the ‘nothing to declare’ exit at O.R Tambo International Airport.

The world of Test cricket opened up before him when he toured here in 2009, not yet 20 matches into a career that already promised so much.

Fresh from an 11-wicket haul against Graeme Smith’s team in Perth and a crushing physical blow inflicted on the Proteas’ skipper weeks later in Sydney – a moment Johnson hopes remains fresh in Smith’s mind – the then 27-year-old was at the peak of his powers.

A remarkable double in the opening Test in Johannesburg when he completed match figures of 8-137 and came within a boundary of a maiden Test century was followed two Tests later with a career-high 123no in Cape Town.

From there, the pace bowler’s career swung between heady highs and confidence-sapping lows until he hit rock bottom at Johannesburg in late 2011 when his form and self-belief deserted him and he sustained a toe injury while batting that cost him a year of cricket.

It was from that abyss that Johnson learned a lot about the vicissitudes of elite sport, and even more about himself as he set about restoring his reputation and his career.

“I didn’t think I’d mastered it (Test cricket), but I guess I also didn’t expect to have that big low that was as low,” Johnson said today as heavy rain in Potchefstroom continued to play havoc with the Australians’ Test preparations.

“I know as a professional sportsman you do have your ups and downs and I know speaking to Glenn McGrath it’s about bringing your bad ones and your good ones closer together.

“I always knew there was going to be ups and downs, but I didn’t realise it was going to be so low.

“But I find that was a great experience for me, as hard as it was.

“It’s made me who I am today, I’m in this position now because I’ve learned from that.

“It was a very hard time in my career, but I know the mistakes I made then I won’t be making again.

“So it’s pretty simple.”

It’s tough to reconcile the dispirited, brooding Johnson who admits he claim close to giving the game away in the wake of the toe surgery he was forced to undergo at the start of the 2011-12 Australian summer.

He has landed in South Africa on the tail of a revelatory Ashes series in which he grabbed 37 wickets and even more headlines, and is learning to enjoy the role of enforcer that is accompanying him wherever he and his teammates head.

"I'm happy to be the intimidator and to be talked of like that," he said when asked how comfortably that title sat with someone who is essentially thoughtful and quietly-spoken by nature.

"I'm coming over here after a great series being the intimidator against England.

“They've obviously seen all that, and I think they (spectators) are excited about seeing that as well.

"I had a lot of English (supporters) come up to me after the series, and even through the series, and they were just saying how good it was and how it brought Test cricket back to life.

“It's great to hear those words.

"But I know I've been in this situation before. In '09 everything was going really well (and then plummeted), so I've learned from that.

“I'm not going to underestimate anything . . . I'm just going to go out there and keep doing what I'm doing.

"It's nice to hear all those words but I've just got to keep a level head."

If he’s learned something else from McGrath it’s that – as leader of the new-ball attack – you have to talk a good game as well as hit an immaculate line and length.

In addition to the occasional opponent.

Johnson added spice to his anticipated re-match with Smith whose hand he smashed with a vicious lifting delivery in Sydney four years ago, and whose wicket he has claimed a number of times.

And continues to prize.

"I've played against Graeme Smith a few times now and I've hit him a couple of times.

“I'm hoping that's still in the back of his mind.

“That hopefully gives you a bit of an advantage.

“But it is a new series and they are a tough opposition – they’re very strong mentally and they're the number-one side for a good reason."

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