Internet Desk: The game of cricket is a great leveler. New Zealand’s Mitchell McClenaghanis a testimony to this age-old adage. In Mumbai Indians’ previous match against Kings XI Punjab, McClenaghan was smashed to all parts of the ground by Glenn Maxwell. The Aussie belted three sixes and two fours in just five balls that he faced as McClenaghan ended up conceding 28 runs in one over.
On Saturday, McClenaghan brushed aside the memories of that horrific over and started afresh. Defending just 142 against Delhi Daredevils, MI’s hopes were pinned on him and he delivered. He struck in his first over to dismiss Sanju Samson and landed two big blows in his next when he sent back Shreyas Iyer and Corey Anderson. The Kiwi bagged the Man of the Match award for his fantastic spell of 4-0-24-3.
What made it special was the company of former Australia star Mitchell Johnson, who played his first game of IPL 10.When McClenaghan started off, he modelled his action on Johnson and wanted to bowl as aggressively as the fiery Aussie. Match 25 of VIVO IPL 2017 gave a perfect platform for the two to unite, leading to a new Trans-Tasmanian bonding.
We at iplt20.com caught up with Johnson to talk about his second stint with Mumbai Indians and his close connect with McClenaghan.
Your first game of the 10th season and straightaway the bowlers were called into action.
It is nice to be back in Mumbai and play at the Wankhede Stadium. It’s a great stadium (and MI have) a huge fan base. I was excited to play in front of a sea of blue. In the team meeting, I was starting to get a few nerves. It doesn’t matter how many games I’ve played, I still had those nerves. It was a good sign as it actually meant something to me to be playing here. It was nice to get out there and have an opportunity. It was special to get a win.
MI have put up massive scores, but this was a different game. A low score had to be defended. Did the team get nervous when the Rabada-Morris partnership took the game close?
I think this was a different wicket as normally in Mumbai you get a nice bounce and pace;you get value for your shots. I think the new ball was the best time to score. We didn’t get the total that we normally would, but I think it was probably close to par on this wicket.
There was no stress when we came out. We wanted to bowl to our plans. We got that run-out early and that got the momentum going. They had a good partnership in the middle, but we kept bowling in tough areas and stuck with it. I think we bowled well and forced them to take risks. We fielded well and got the result in our favour. We stuck to our guns.
The Trans-Tasmanian rivalry is well known. How was it bowling with Mitchell McClenaghan, who is quite like you?
He actually told me he was keen to bowl with me throughout this tournament and was really excited. It was really nice to bowl with a fellow left-armer. He was telling me that in his first game for his state team, he had the same action as mine. It makes you feel really special that a guy who looks up to you, a guy who has his own skills and own background, does well for the team. It is really cool. I thought he did an exceptional job tonight. We backed each other up with the ball. We were able to work in partnerships. I always say it is good bowling with another left-armer and we should be doing that often.
Now that you don’t play international cricket, how do you maintain bowling rhythm?
It is something I have worked on in the last year. It is something new. I hadn’t played for three months. I came here early to do a bit of extra work. Back home it is tough to get outdoor training. I did some stuff with my team WA (Western Australia). To get here early was the key for me. I always stay fit and healthy. To get that cricket rhythm was about getting here and getting used to the conditions. I was really excited to get that adrenaline rush and that feeling of playing again. It is just about getting out there and playing again.
I need not bowl 1000 balls to get the rhythm but it is about keeping fresh and bowling just enough to get rhythm. I enjoyed myself. I tried to bowl as fast as I could and used my change ups and had fun while doing it. What’s important is performing well as a unit. It does not matter who comes in or is out. I didn’t get any wickets today, but Jasprit Bumrah got two and McClenaghan got three. It is about celebrating each other’s success. I love celebrating others success. I loved celebrating with those guys. It is a team sport. You have got to do your role in the team.
Courtesy- IPL media.