5 times Mitchell Johnson single-handedly won the match for his team

Johnson is one of the greatest matchwinners in the current Australian teamOne of the most fearsome fast bowlers in the world, Mitchell Johnson, has finally decided to pull down the curtains on his successful international career. Since the retirement of stalwarts like Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee, Johnson took over the mantle of being the leader of the Australian pace attack and carried the responsibility with great aplomb in the last few years of his career.With his exhilarating pace and ability to extract bounce, the Aussie pacer proved to be a terror for batsmen all over the world, especially in his home conditions. Another great talent that Mitchell Johnson has displayed on many occasions is the capability to win matches on his own for Australia.We take a look at 5 of his best match-winning performances:

#5 5 for 26 vs India, Vadodara, 2007

The Indian batsmen had no answer to Johnson's swing

This performance deserves a special mention as it came against arguably the best batting line-up in ODIs at that time - Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid, Yuvraj and Dhoni. Moreover, the match was being played in India's home conditions and Mitchell Johnson was relatively inexperienced at that point.

Having won the toss and elected to bat first, India got off to a disastrous start thanks to the fall of two early wickets with just 5 runs on the board. Johnson came to the party soon after as he ripped apart the Indian middle order with 3 quick wickets and reduced them to 5 for 43. He returned later to claim the 8^th and 9^th wicket and ensured that the innings ended for a paltry 148.

Australia strolled home by 9 wickets, getting the runs in just about 26 overs. This was one of Mitchell Johnson’s finest performances with the ball in ODI cricket.

#4 10 for 132 vs New Zealand, Hamilton, 2010

Mitchell Johnson leaps in joy after getting another Kiwi wicket

A younger, less angrier version of Mitchell Johnson was equally adept at picking up wickets and winning matches on his own as the one which we have seen in the recent past. One of the biggest proofs of this came during the 2nd Test of Australia’s tour to New Zealand in 2010. A bowler like Johnson was destined to thrive on the conditions in New Zealand and thrive he did.

His devastating combination of swing and pace proved too hot to handle for the Kiwi batsmen as they were destroyed by him in both innings. In the 1st innings, New Zealand were unable to capitalize on their bowlers’ efforts in getting Australia out for 231 as they could muster a lead of just 33, thanks mainly to Johnson’s 4-wicket haul.

The Aussies batted brilliantly in their 2nd innings and left the Kiwis with a target of 479. Johnson ran through the New Zealand batting line-up by getting 4 out of the top five and polishing off the tail.

By the time he was over, the Aussie paceman had recorded figures of 6 for 73. His 10-wicket haul ensured that he received the Man of the Match award.

#3 12 for 127 vs South Africa, Centurion, 2014

Johnson’s best match figures in Test cricket came against South Africa in 2014

When two giants of the cricketing world, Australia and South Africa, collided in a Test series in the year 2014, it was time for Johnson to stamp his authority over the opposition all over again. Fresh from his demolition of England in the Ashes played just a month before this series, Johnson looked to continue in the same vein against the Proteas too.

Against a top class batting line-up including of the likes of Hashim Amla, Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers, the left-arm pacer produced a spell to remember in the South African 1st innings, taking 7 for 68 as the Aussies bowled out their opposition for 206 and took a lead of 191.

South Africa required 482 to win in the 4th innings of the match, but ended up falling short by 281 runs as Johnson claimed another 5-wicket haul to finish off with his career-best match figures of 12 for 127. This period is rightly considered as the time when the big Australian was at the peak of his powers.

#2 6 for 31 vs Sri Lanka, Pallekele, 2011

Johnson recorded his best ODI figures of 6 for 31 against Sri Lanka

Mitchell Johnson’s ODI career may not have been as illustrious as his Test career but he did bowl some great spells in the 50-over format too. One of these was his 6 for 31 against Sri Lanka in 2011 at Pallekele, which remained his best bowling figures in ODI cricket. It was yet another instance of Johnson single-handedly destroying the opposition with a deadly combination of swing and pace.

What makes this performance special is the fact that the Aussie pacer was up against some of the best that Sri Lanka has ever produced. The likes of Sangakkara, Jayawardene, Dilshan and also Matthews, were in the side and the game was being played in Sri Lanka’s home conditions.

With Australia bowling first, Mitchell Johnson broke the backbone of the Sri Lankan batting by getting both Sanga and Mahela in quick succession and once again later on in the innings by removing Matthews and most of the tail.

This ensured that the home team got just 192 on the board which was comfortably chased down by the Aussie batsmen with almost 12 overs to spare.

#1 9 for 103 vs England, Brisbane, 2013

Mitchell Johnson dominated the English batsmen during the famous Ashes whitewash by Australia

The 2013 Ashes is possibly the greatest memory that we might ever have of the lethal Aussie left-armer. The way in which he traumatised the England batsmen is perhaps one of the greatest examples of domination by a fast bowler in recent times. But the tone was set by Johnson in the very 1st Test of the series played in Brisbane, a pitch known to assist pace and bounce.

England had been ruling the roost as far as the Ashes were concerned as they had registered three consecutive Ashes wins. Some desperate measures were required to get things right for the Aussies once again and this prompted them to come up with the perfect plan to take back the Ashes.

Mitchell Johnson was chosen to be the spearhead for the implementation of this plan, which aimed to undo the Englishmen by bouncing them out, and this turned out to be a masterstroke for the Australian team.

After his team had managed 295 in their 1st innings, the powerful left-arm pacer unleashed his fury on the opposition batsmen and left no one unscathed as England were skittled out for 136 with Johnson getting 4 for 61.

Set a mammoth total of 561 to chase in the 4th innings, the English batsmen succumbed once again as the Aussie paceman towered like a colossus over them with his brutal pace claiming 5 for 42 and led Australia to a memorable 381-run victory.