Mitchell Johnson hits out at Cricket Australia for awards invite
The fast bowler was stood down from speaking engagements in Perth following his outspoken column
AAP
22-Dec-2023
Mitchell Johnson has scoffed at Cricket Australia (CA) inviting him to an awards night just a week after the governing body cancelled two of his speaking engagements.
CA axed two of the retired fast bowler's guest speaking jobs during the first Test in Perth last week due to his highly controversial column about David Warner and chief selector George Bailey.
Johnson, who is commentating on radio with Triple M this summer, had kept quiet after it was revealed he had been stood down from the paid talks.
But the former left-arm firebrand quick let rip on social media after receiving an invite to the 2024 Australian Cricket Awards.
"Is Cricket Australia serious??," Johnson wrote on Instagram, including a screenshot of his invite and the Rage Against The Machine song 'Take the Power Back'.
"Last week I was cancelled from 2 speaking engagements. This week I'm invited to celebrate with them."
Johnson tore into Warner, his former Australia team-mate, about the opener's "hero send-off" and opened up old wounds from Sandpapergate in an explosive article for the West Australian.
The 42-year-old was also critical of Bailey's position, saying his other former team-mate had a conflict of interest in deciding on Warner's future.
After the heavy criticism, Warner came out in the opening Test against Pakistan and smashed 164 to guarantee his SCG farewell from red-ball cricket.
Johnson later admitted the column was personally motivated after receiving messages from Warner and Bailey earlier in the year.
"I tried to ring [Warner] to talk to him about it, which I've always been open about with the guys," he explained on his Mitchell Johnson Cricket Show podcast with broadcaster Bharat Sundaresan.
"It was never a personal thing then. Until that point. That is what prompted me to write the article, or part of it, as well. It's definitely a factor."
Warner has refused to add fuel to the fire, saying Johnson is entitled to his opinions.