Mitchell Johnson Matches Ricky Ponting's Feat of Winning Cricketer of the Year Award Twice
Mitchell Johnson, the left-arm pacer, fired Australia to a 5-0 Ashes sweep of England and a 2-1 series win in South Africa between August 2013 and September 2014, taking 59 Test wickets at an average of 15.23.
Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson has matched compatriot Ricky Ponting's feat of winning the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Cricketer of the Year award twice, the governing body said on Friday.
The 33-year-old Johnson won the Sir Garfield Sobers trophy for the second time after winning the award in 2009 and was also named the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year. Former Australia captain Ponting won the title in 2006 and 2007.
Left-arm paceman Johnson fired Australia to a 5-0 Ashes sweep of England and a 2-1 series win in South Africa between August 2013 and September 2014, taking 59 Test wickets at an average of 15.23.
"Aggressive fast bowlers are something you'd have seen back in the day with the likes of (Dennis) Lillee and (Jeff) Thomson," Johnson said in an ICC statement.
"For me, it's nice to be able to contribute to the team and do the job that I've always thought I've been able to do.
"This is something that I'll be able to look back on in time when my career is over and be exceptionally proud of."
Sri Lanka batsman Kumar Sangakkara, the winner in 2012, captain Angelo Mathews and his South African counterpart AB de Villiers were the other contenders for cricketer of the year honours.
De Villiers won the ICC One-Day International Cricketer of the Year while England's Gary Ballance was named the ICC Emerging Cricketer of the Year.