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Mitchell Johnson appears to have been cut from one of his media roles following a fiery blast of David Warner.
The one-time fearsome left-arm speed demon took aim at Australia’s incumbent Test opener in a vitriolic column for a Western Australia newspaper at the weekend.
Johnson was none too impressed that Warner had flagged his Test retirement more than six months in advance, when players typically announce it either just before a series, before a match, or afterwards.
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Warner’s form has been largely dismal for the better part of three years and many – including Johnson – viewed Warner’s announcement as a way of guilting selectors into keeping him in the side for a farewell tour.
”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?” wrote Johnson.
“It’s been five years and 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.”
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Johnson’s reference to the ugly 2018 Cape Town sandpaper incident is what seemed to cause most angst following his bombshell column.
He later revealed on a podcast he did regret mentioning the ball-tampering saga, but also said his feud with Warner began with a nasty text message when Johnson and Warner’s wife, Candice, engaged in a war of words in April.
Johnson was set to come face to face with Australia’s Test team in Perth, where the first match of the summer will start on December 14 against Pakistan.
”I will be doing some commentary for Triple M in the first Test. We’ll see what happens there,” Johnson said.
But on Tuesday, Triple M released its list of commentators for the summer of cricket.
Johnson’s name was not among the 18-strong list, suggesting he hasn’t been invited back to the microphone for the radio station.
He will no doubt still be at the Perth Test, given he’s a WA local.
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