Johnson welcomes English crowd taunts

Despite their best efforts to get under his skin, Mitchell Johnson says he enjoys the choral jousting he endures from English crowds and that a couple of his antics in the recent third Test were planned to further inflame the Edgbaston fans.

Johnson, who in one fiery over at Birmingham ensured his place on the honour roll of Australian bowlers by becoming the fifth to reach 300 Test wickets, enjoys a love-hate relationship with English crowds who target him relentlessly.

Watch: Johnson enters the 300 club in fine style

On the third (and what proved to be the final) day of last week’s one-sided Test at Edgbaston, the volume of singing to the famous Barmy Army ditty that takes aim at Johnson’s erratic bowling from earlier in his career thundered through the stadium like it was FA Cup Final day.

But the 33-year-old admitted today he views being singled out as Australia’s villain as a compliment and added that he’s been encouraged by teammates to play up to the crowd because it helps to diffuse the spectator spotlight being shone upon them.

On the first two days at Edgbaston, Johnson copped it from sections of the notoriously rollicking Eric Hollies Stand – named after the local leg spinner who famously bowled Don Bradman for a duck in his final Test innings – whenever he delivered or fielded a ball.

But by game’s end, as England surged to an eight-wicket win led by another local hero Ian Bell, Johnson’s name was being bellowed all around the 25,000-seat ground and even as the post-match ceremony was taking place choruses of "he bowls to the left, he bowls to the right" rang out.

"I get amongst it a bit more now," said Johnson, who has admitted that being the object of the crowd’s cat-calling affected his game when he previously played a Test series in the UK in 2009.

"I definitely take it as a bit of a compliment now and when the whole crowd is cheering my name at the end of a game when they (England) have just won, you have to take that as a compliment.

Watch: The Bowlologist gets among the English fans at Edgbaston

"It’s a pretty special crowd, they were really loud there (at Edgbaston) and I expected that from past experiences, they really do get vocal and they really enjoy their cricket.

"A couple of boys (his Australia teammates) reminded me out there to get involved again because they wanted a bit more (crowd) noise towards me.

"I definitely feel like I can take the brunt of it and I take the focus away from the other guys, and I’ve really embraced that role."

As England moved to within 15 runs of victory on day three and a formidable 2-1 lead in the five-Test series, Johnson’s appeal for a leg-side catch off Joe Root was declined but then sent for review in a desperate last hope by the Australians.

It wasn’t upheld.

This sent the euphoric fans into a frenzy and, as they roared in song, Johnson pulled out of his run-up for the final delivery of his seventh (and last) over of the match.

Even greater baiting ensued, so Johnson then bowled the final ball from almost alongside the umpire, several yards short of the front crease line which is a legitimate but rarely used ploy by bowlers to try and catch batsmen unawares.

Watch: Johnson's long-ball antics as third Test slips away

"That over where I did stop in my run-up was deliberate to try and have a bit of fun with the crowd and apparently it had a fair bit of appreciation when I went down to fine leg (after the over) with people clapping and saying a few choice words," Johnson said today.

However, the contrived follow-up act did not go entirely according to the bowler’s script and he admitted that he initially feared he had bowled it from behind the umpire, which would have made it an illegal delivery.

"I meant to bowl a long ball, but not that long," he said as Australia began their preparations for the vital fourth Test that begins at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Thursday.

"I went a bit too long.

"I know that Brett Lee used to bowl it occasionally.

"It could have worked – Joe Root, it definitely widened his eyes up and he had a bit of a smile as well.

"I was just playing it up a bit with the crowd, but at the same time respecting the game.

"It was all in good fun."

When it goes beyond fun is when the quietly spoken father of one leaves the cricket field and attempts to partake of ordinary civilian activities – such as shopping or sightseeing – with his wife and daughter.

Johnson said today he had been subjected to impromptu versions of the derisory song when walking the streets in Birmingham after the Test has finished, and had also copped a chorus in Cardiff where Australia also suffered a heavy defeat.

Watch: The key moments of an incredible Ashes series

Curiously, it did not appear to be an issue in London after Johnson produced some of his most fearsome fast bowling of the past year to propel his team to a 405-run win on a lifeless pitch.

"I’m all for it when it’s in a game, but I think when you’re walking with your family in the street I think it’s a bit overboard," he said.

"People are pretty passionate about their cricket and when they (their team) are doing well, so I guess you’ve got to understand it from that point of view.

"But I’d prefer that it (stays) out in the middle, that the crowd are right behind their team and giving it to me on the field.

"I think that’s fair game."

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