Mitchell Johnson took 20 wickets at 22.75 for the Perth Scorchers

MITCHELL Johnson has called time on his Big Bash League career, with his manager hinting the extended length of this summer’s edition influenced the fast bowler’s decision. The eighth edition of the BBL will feature a full home-and-away season, meaning each team will play 14 matches before finals.“The intensity and length of the BBL is just too much for someone who will be 37 at the start of the summer,” Johnson’s manager, Sam Halvorsen, told The West Australian.The fourth greatest Test wicket-taker in Australian
history, Johnson is hoping to play in the inaugural United Arab Emirates Twenty20 League which only runs for 24 days – the BBL runs 60 days – with each of the five franchises to play eight games.“Mitch has put his name up for the Emirates tournament in Dubai, but that is half the length of the BBL,” Halvorsen said.The quick took 20 wickets at 22.75 runs apiece with an economy of 6.14 across his two seasons with the Perth Scorchers and was the team’s best bowler in their title winning BBL 06 campaign. He took 13 wickets at 15.46 that season, leaking only 5.91 runs an over. While he was not as dangerous last summer (seven wickets at 36.28), he was among the tournament’s most economic bowlers (6.35).

Mitchell Johnson announces retirement from Big Bash League

The former Australia seamer Mitchell Johnson on Wednesday announced his retirement from the Big Bash league. The left-arm seamer, who played for Perth Scorchers, will continue to ply his trade for other T20 leagues around the world, but will not participate in Australia’s T20 competition in the 2018-19 season. The bowler will be 37 when the season starts, and with all the team set to play 14 games for the first time in a full home-and-away season, he thinks it will be too much pressure on him at his age.
Speaking to The West Australian, Johnson’s manager Sam Halvorsen said, “The intensity and length of the BBL are just too much for someone who will be 37 at the start of the summer.” He further added that the former Australia international has put forth his name for the inaugural United Arab Emirates Twenty20 league, though.“Mitch has put his name up for the Emirates tournament in Dubai, but that is half the length of the BBL,” he said. It still remains unclear whether Johnson, who currently plays for Kolkata Knight Riders, will return to play in the Indian Premier League next year.In his Big Bash League career, Johnson has picked up 20 wickets in his kitty in 19 games at an economy rate of 6.15 with the figures of 3/3 in the 2016-17 semifinal as his best spell. Overall, he has played a total of 112 T20 matches in his career with 123 wickets to his name, at an average of 25.78.

Mitchell Johnson retires from Perth Scorchers and BBL en route to UAE

Mitchell Johnson’s Australian career is over.The veteran left-arm fast bowler told Perth Scorchers coach Adam Voges yesterday that he would no longer play in the Big Bash League and instead focus on shorter overseas tournaments.The 36-year-old played for the Scorchers for the past two seasons and had a profound impact in Perth’s win in 2016-17, with returns of 3-3 in the semifinal and 1-13 in the final. Johnson left the door open to continue playing after Perth lost their semi-final to Hobart at Optus Stadium this year,
but his manager Sam Halvorsen confirmed yesterday that the BBL’s expansion to 14 home-and-away games would be too onerous.He intends to play in the inaugural United Arab Emirates Twenty20 league in December and January.“The intensity and length of the BBL is just too much for someone who will be 37 at the start of the summer,” Halvorsen said.“Mitch has put his name up for the Emirates tournament in Dubai, but that is half the length of the BBL.”Five franchises will each play eight games over 24 days in the new UAE tournament.

Mitchell Johnson Quits 'Lengthy' Big Bash League

The high intensity and length of the Big Bash League (BBL) has forced Australia fast bowling great Mitchell Johnson to distance himself from it's further seasons, also raising questions about his further involvement with the Indian Premier League (IPL). Cricket Australia (CA) had recently announced a revamp of the BBL, switching it to a full home-and-away season with 14 games, plus the finals. Johnson, who will turn 37 this November,
however has stressed on his availability for other global Twenty20 competitions and is currently eyeing the 10-over tournament to be played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)."The intensity and length of the BBL is just too much for someone who will be 37 at the start of the summer," Johnson's manager Sam Halvorsen was quoted as saying by The West Australian newspaper."Mitch has put his name up for the Emirates tournament in Dubai, but that is half the length of the BBL," he added.

Mitchell Johnson calls time on Big Bash League career

Mitchell Johnson, the former Australia paceman, announced his retirement from the Big Bash League, but stressed he would be available for other T20 competitions around the globe.Johnson, who played for Perth Scorchers, will be 37 by the time the 2018-19 BBL commences in December, with each team set to play 14 games for the first time in a full home-and-away season.Johnson cited this increased intensity as the reason behind his
decision. “The intensity and length of the BBL is just too much for someone who will be 37 at the start of the summer," Johnson's manager, Sam Halvorsen, told The West Australian.Johnson has put his name up for the inaugural United Arab Emirates Twenty20 league, though, and will also be vying for place in the T-10 league to be held in the UAE later this year.“Mitch has put his name up for the Emirates tournament in Dubai, but that is half the length of the BBL," Halvorsen added.

Renshaw re-signs with Heat for BBL 08

Matt Renshaw, Australia's Test opener, has re-signed with Brisbane Heat, after having made his Big Bash League debut with the franchise last summer. Renshaw, who is recuperating from an injury to the top joint of his left index finger - one that he suffered in the UK during his county stint with Somerset, only played the one game last season, but credited his time spent with the
franchise beneficial in honing his T20 game."I got to train alongside players like Brendon McCullum and Chris Lynn and see how they went about preparing themselves, and the type of skills they emphasised," said Renshaw on Wednesday (July 11)."It was a different training environment for me and an enjoyable change in terms of the batting skills required, which I had the chance to try out in Premier Cricket with my club Toombul in that window."

Alison Mitchell and Lisa Sthalekar will both be a part of the Channel Seven commentary team

Mitchell will be one of Seven's three ball-by-ball callers during its first season of broadcasting Test cricket, joining Tim Lane and James Brayshaw.The Englishwoman will not be the only female voice heard as part of Seven's coverage, with Mel McLaughlin joining Brayshaw as dual hosts, and retired Australian Test and one-day international player Lisa Sthalekar named as an expert commentator.Seven's announcement follows the decision of Fox Sports,
who will also broadcast international and domestic cricket in the coming summer, to include retired Australia player Mel Jones and England's Isa Guha as part of its commentary team.Seven's head of cricket, David Barham, said the signing of Mitchell, who has previously been a part of the ABC radio's Test coverage, has nothing to do with gender or agendas."She's a gun commentator," he said."1983 was the last time there was a female voice in Test cricket in Australia on free to air TV, 35 years ago. It doesn't seem right to me."It's appropriate and long overdue, with cricket being a sport that has done so much for women.

Hobart Hurricanes coach Gary Kirsten quits, cites personal reasons

Kirsten has handed in his resignation to Cricket Tasmania halfway through a two-year deal citing personal reasons.Cricket Tasmania chief executive officer Nick Cummins said Kirsten flagged the possibility of not continuing as coach about a month ago, but would not divulge the exact reasons for Kirsten's departure."We looked at a few different ways that we could have him involved,
but this specific issue is going to prevent him from doing that" he said."It's a real personal blow. We really enjoyed working with him and he had a significant impact on the program in a short amount of time."Cummins is hopeful Kirsten will play a small part in the Hurricanes BBL08 campaign by returning to the state at some stage this summer."We want to allow the fans to give him a proper send off, which he's keen to do, but that's a work in progress," he said.Incoming coach Adam Griffith was slated to take over the role at the conclusion of Kirsten's two-year deal.

Shaun Marsh flying home with injury

Shaun Marsh's English county season is over because of a shoulder injury, the latest blow to Australia's depleted batting stocks.Marsh, who suffered the setback while trying to stop a boundary for Glamorgan during a Twenty20 game, is returning home for further assessment.Marsh could yet be fit for Australia's
tour of the United Arab Emirates, where they will face Pakistan in the first Test series under new coach Justin Langer.The schedule for that tour is yet to be locked in but it's expected to take place in early October, leaving Marsh potentially 12 weeks to rest and recover from ligament damage and disruption in his AC joint.The worst-case scenario for the 35-year-old is that follow-up scans in Perth deliver bad news and it is decided he requires surgery to repair the ligaments.