Did You Know Mitchell Johnson Was Spotted by Dennis Lillee?
Mitchell Johnson, who called time on his international career on Tuesday, is the only cricketer other than Ricky Ponting to have won the ICC Player of the Year award twice.
Factbox on Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson, who announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket on Tuesday:
# Mitchell Guy Johnson was born on Nov. 2, 1981 in Townsville, Queensland. Almost six foot, three inches-tall (1.89m), Johnson bowled and batted left-handed. (Johnson Lost Hunger, Thought He Wasn't Good Enough)
# Spotted by Dennis Lillee as a raw 17-year-old, the pace bowling great declaring Johnson a "once in a lifetime prospect".
# Suffered a string of back stress fractures early in his career and drove a van for a living at one stage after losing his contract with Queensland. (Johnson Singles Out Ashes, World Cup Wins as Special Moments)
# Made his one day international debut in 2005, going on to play 153 matches in the format culminating in Australia's triumph in the 2015 World Cup final, his final outing. Took 239 wickets at an average of 25.26. (From Jeered to Feared, Mitchell Johnson Unpredictable to the End)
# Made test debut against Sri Lanka in Brisbane in November 2007, the first of 73 matches in the Baggy Green cap which netted him 313 wickets at an average of 28.40. He took 12 five-wicket hauls. (Mitchell Johnson Has Always Been a Special Bowler: Sachin Tendulkar)
# A more than useful tail end batsman, Johnson scored 2,065 runs at an average of 22.20 with one century, an unbeaten 123 against South Africa at Cape Town in 2009. (His Top-10 Spells)
# Named International Cricket Council (ICC) Player of the Year, in 2009 and 2014. His former captain Ricky Ponting was the only other player to win it twice.
# 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. ('MJ' Deserved to be Rated in the Very Top, Says Mark Taylor)
# Moved to Western Australia to play state cricket in 2008. Played seven tests at the WACA, taking 45 wickets with best figures of 8-61 against South Africa in 2008.