From zero to hero

Mitchell Johnson is pumped up after getting rid of Kevin Pietersen.

PERTH, (Reuters) – Mercurial paceman Mitchell Johnson  rediscovered his lost form to help Australia skittle England for  187 and wrest back the initiative on a pulsating second day of  the third Ashes test yesterday. 

Swinging the ball into the right-handers at high pace,  Johnson smashed through England’s top order. He then cleaned up  the tail to finish with 6-38 in a brilliant return after he was  dropped for the second test in Adelaide following a wayward,  wicketless display in the opener in Brisbane.  

At the close Australia were 119 for three, an overall lead  of 200. The hosts are battling to level the five-test series and  prevent England from becoming the first English team to take the  Ashes home in 24 years. 

“I didn’t really get too down on being dropped. Obviously I  was disappointed at the time when I find out but I knew I had to  work on a few things and that’s what I did,” said Johnson.  

Mitchell Johnson is pumped up after getting rid of Kevin Pietersen.

After England raced to 78 without loss in reply to  Australia’s 268, Johnson induced Alastair Cook (32) to miscue a  drive straight to Michael Hussey at gully, then trapped Jonathan  Trott for four and Kevin Pietersen lbw for a duck.  
Johnson grabbed his third lbw by dismissing Paul Collingwood  for five then celebrated his fifth and sixth wickets by bowling  Chris Tremlett for two and getting James Anderson caught for a  duck.  

Ryan Harris finished with 3-59 after dismissing England  captain Andrew Strauss for 52, Ian Bell (53) and Graeme Swann  for 11.  

The England pace bowlers struck back after their batsmen had  conceded an 81-run lead.  
Steve Finn removed Phillip Hughes for 12, coaxing a nick  from the 22-year-old opener that went straight to Paul  Collingwood’s safe hands at third slip.
  
He then had Ricky Ponting caught behind for one with the  struggling Australian captain feathering a catch off his glove  to wicketkeeper Matt Prior.  
 
Michael Clarke smashed four boundaries in an aggressive  20-run cameo but undone himself by chasing a Chris Tremlett  delivery onto his stumps as Australia wobbled on 64-3.  

Clarke’s dismissal brought the hosts’ serial rescuer Hussey  to the crease and the 35-year-old left-hander proved rock-solid  again, adding an unbeaten 24 in a 55-run stand with opener Shane  Watson (61 not out).  

SCOREBOARD

 Australia first innings 268 (M. Johnson 62, M. Hussey 61, B.  Haddin 53)  
England first innings (overnight 29-0)  

A. Strauss c Haddin b Harris                                          52  
A. Cook c Hussey b Johnson                                          32  
J. Trott lbw b Johnson                                                        4  
K. Pietersen lbw b Johnson                                               0  
P. Collingwood lbw b Johnson                                         5  
I. Bell c Ponting b Harris                                                  53  
M. Prior b Siddle                                                                  12  
G. Swann c Haddin b Harris                                             11  
C. Tremlett b Johnson                                                         2  
J. Anderson c Watson b Johnson                                   0  
S. Finn not out                                                                         1  
Extras (lb-4, w-1, nb-2, b-8)                                           15  
Total (all out, 62.3 overs)                                             187  
Fall of wickets: 1-78 2-82 3-82 4-94 5-98 6-145 7-181 8-186  9-186  
Bowling: Hilfenhaus 21-6-53-0 (nb-1), Harris 15-4-59-3  (w-1), Siddle 9-2-25-1 (nb-1), Johnson 17.3-5-38-6.  
   
Australia second innings  
S. Watson not out                                                       61  
P. Hughes c Collingwood b Finn                          12  
R. Ponting c Prior b Finn                                          1  
M. Clarke b Tremlett                                               20  
M. Hussey not out                                                   24  
Extras (nb-1)                                                                1  
Total (for three wickets, 33 overs)                 119  

Fall of wickets: 1-31 2-34 3-64  
To bat: B. Haddin, S. Smith, M. Johnson, R. Harris, P.  Siddle, B. Hilfenhaus.  
Bowling: Anderson 11-5-25-0, Tremlett 9-2-20-1, Finn  9-1-48-2 (nb-1), Swann 4-0-26-0.