Johnson: Perhaps Rogers should've been Man of the Match

Cricket365
December 29, 2013

Fast bowler Mitchell Johnson was modest in accepting the Man of the Match award, as Australia beat England by eight wickets on day four of the penultimate Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

While Johnson's figures of eight for 88 resigned the tourists to two inadequate totals, opener Chris Rogers stood at the fore of a successful second-innings pursuit on Sunday.

Rogers scored a superb century, with the Aussies surpassing a testing 231-run target shortly after the tea break. The result sealed a resounding four-nil series lead, leaving the English precariously close to a five-nil whitewash ahead of the final match in Sydney next week.

"I thought Chris did really well, so maybe he should be Man of the Match. Yeah, we got the ball to shape, there was reverse as well out there, so it was really enjoyable," said Johnson.

"There are a lot of people who've helped me, my team-mates have been behind me, so thanks to them. I think that's the first time I've bowled on Boxing Day, in front of 91,000, so it was quite an experience."

Wicketkeeper-batsman Brad Haddin lauded the performance of spinner Nathan Lyon, who welcomed a telling five-wicket haul – and a 100th Test match wicket – on Saturday. Rogers, meanwhile, led by example after the relatively early departure of fellow opener David Warner.

"This is very special. Boxing Day Test, we were actually behind the game for the first two days. It was a great effort from Lyon to get five wickets in the second innings," added Haddin.

"These can be difficult chases, these small ones. We did it. We could have been 40 odd for two, but in the end the result went in our favour. Rogers played very well, he deserved it. He took pressure off Warner by scoring quickly."