‘They’ve made their bed’: Mitchell Johnson’s one regret from David Warner column

Mitchell Johnson says he has one regret over his stinging attack on David Warner and George Bailey, but stands by his criticism.

Mitchell Johnson says he regrets bringing up the sandpaper scandal as the fallout from his searing criticism of David Warner continues.

Johnson stunned the cricket world – and the Aussie playing fraternity – when he targeted the opening batsman and national team selector George Bailey in a column for The West Australian.

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The former fast bowler revealed the column was spurred in part by a text Warner sent him after he described his wife Candice as “weird and cringey” when she attempted to defend his place in the Australian team during a TV appearance.

Speaking on The Mitchell Johnson Cricket Show podcast, the 313-Test wicket great has now revealed Warner sent him a text message after that column was published.

“I got a message from Dave, which was quite personal and I tried to ring him to talk to him about it,” Johnson said.

“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. Some of the things that he mentioned in that message.

“I won’t say it because that’s up to Dave to say if he wants to talk about it. There was some stuff in there, which was extremely disappointing what he said and pretty bad to be honest. That sort of was a bit of a driver.”

Johnson also took an extraordinary shot at Warner’s farewell tour by suggesting fans in Sydney will have to bring cuts of sandpaper to wave in the same way fans famously waved red hankies to honour Steve Waugh in his final Test.

Johnson wrote: “What will fans bring for Warner? Bunnings would sell out of sandpaper,” he wrote.

Elaborating on the scathing piece in his podcast, Johnson said he regrets the “sandpaper” drive-by but stands by his point that players shouldn’t get to dictate the terms of their retirement.

Mitchell Johnson’s column sent shockwaves around Australian cricket. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

“There is one thing I wasn’t that happy with,” he said.

“I didn’t notice it at the time. I was reading the article and just sort of went with it. The “Bunnings” and the “sandpaper” part of it. Probably distasteful. That was probably something that didn’t need to be said.

“The reason that (the sandpaper scandal) came up is that I just don’t look at statistics. I look at the whole picture. And I’m not trying to bring up those old things. But someone to get a farewell and to be in that position that he was and what they did back then, that didn’t quite sit right with me, that’s why I brought it up.’’

The left arm quick said he brought up the 2018 sandpaper scandal in his column because it has affected his enjoyment of cricket.

“It all goes back to South Africa (Sandpapergate) for me still,” he added.

“I’m just so disappointed in how that stuff happened. It’s definitely had an impact on how I’ve written at times.

“It’s definitely also changed the way I enjoy the game as well. I honestly don’t enjoy the game as much, watching certain players play.

“It’s impacted my love of the game, just like a lot of the Australian public who have commented on this recent article.”

David Warner’s farewell tour has divided opinion. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Will he ever make peace with Warner and Bailey, with whom he won the 2013-14 Ashes and the 2015 World Cup?

“It’s a hard question to answer at the moment because it’s so fresh,” Johnson said.

“I sort of feel like they’ve made their bed, both those guys, and they’ve made it clear to me where I stand with them.

“I’ll always try my best to treat people the best I can and how I want to be treated.

“The only thing I might be apologising for is that I made it a bit personal. But I think even that is warranted with the personal messaging. It’s a really difficult one.”

Johnson hasn’t heard from any current Australian players since the article but said he’d received some messages from former players.

“I have had a few messages from a few past players.” he said.

“Not too many that were complimentary I guess. In the end, I am not looking for that validation. That’s another thing. It’s nice to have that support but I don’t need it. I stand by what I write.”

Johnson has reopened old wounds. Photo: Daniel Wilkins.

Asked how he’s coping in the wake off the column, Johnson said: “Mostly good. I’ll be lying if there isn’t a little bit of me going, ‘Ahhh doubting it’. But mostly good. I’m in a good place.”

Johnson’s career fell in between the Ricky Ponting era and the current dominant team, and he admits he felt alienated at times when he was struggling.

“It’s funny. I remember when I had that injury in 2011, when you are out of that team, you do feel alienated anyway,” he said.

“Because you’re not in that core group, you’re not in that bubble and you’re not protecting each other. You have to put that wall up at times.

“That’s that same feeling when I went through that part of my career. I don’t recall too many guys sending texts to say are you OK? The guys, mostly the bowlers, were checking on me.

“But you do feel alienated. And when other former cricketers make comments, you wonder if they’re also getting text messages at 3 in the morning or getting nasty messages from players because they’ve said something that they feel.”