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Former Australian paceman Mitchell Johnson has unleashed against ex-teammates David Warner and George Bailey, questioning why Warner is getting a Test farewell and accusing him of not owning up to his role in the ball-tampering scandal.
Writing for The West Australian, Johnson said Warner’s form did not warrant a nomination of his own retirement date and implied that Warner’s involvement in the ball-tampering scandal of 2018 meant he did not deserve a “hero’s send-off”.
David Warner has been named in the Test squad for the upcoming series against Pakistan.Credit: AP
Warner has been named in a 14-man squad alongside recalled fast bowler Lance Morris for the series against Pakistan, which begins in Perth later this month.
“It’s been five years and David Warner has still never really owned the ball-tampering scandal. Now the way he is going out is underpinned by more of the same arrogance and disrespect to our country,” Johnson wrote.
“As we prepare for David Warner’s farewell series, can somebody please tell me why?
“Why a struggling Test opener gets to nominate his own retirement date. And why a player at the centre of one of the biggest scandals in Australian cricket history warrants a hero’s send-off?
“Warner certainly isn’t Australia’s Test captain and never deserved to be for that matter. In fact, he ends his career under a lifetime leadership ban.
“Yes, he has a decent overall record and some say is one of our greatest opening bats. But his past three years in Test cricket have been ordinary, with a batting average closer to what a tail-ender would be happy with.
Former Australian paceman Mitchell Johnson.Credit: Graham Denholm
“It’s the ball-tampering disgrace in South Africa that many will never forget. Although Warner wasn’t alone in Sandpapergate, he was at the time a senior member of the team and someone who liked to use his perceived power as a ‘leader’.
“Does this really warrant a swansong, a last hurrah against Pakistan that was forecast a year in advance as if he was bigger than the game and the Australian cricket team?”
Warner declined to comment when contacted by this masthead.
Johnson also questioned why Warner was selected based off his current form.
“Granted he made his double century against South Africa at the MCG last summer, but they were the only runs he had scored in years. Leading into this year’s Ashes series that was the only time he had reached 50 in his previous 17 Test innings,” he wrote.
“When then-captain Tim Paine’s career was ending over the sexting controversy, chairman of selectors George Bailey said he didn’t want to be part of deciding Paine’s fate because the pair were close friends.
“Bailey said he would leave it to then coach Justin Langer and fellow selector Tony Dodemaide to work it out.
“The handling of Warner in recent years, who played with Bailey in all three forms, raises the question of whether Bailey was simply too quickly out of playing and into the job and too close to some of the players.”
Bailey will speak to the media at 2pm AEDT on Sunday.
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