‘Is Cricket Australia serious?’: Johnson fires up over awards night invite

A bemused Mitchell Johnson has fired a barb at Cricket Australia for inviting him to the sport’s night of nights just days after cancelling his public speaking engagements during the Perth Test.

It may be only days before Christmas but Johnson shows no indication he is prepared to let his feud with head office rest leading into the game’s peak period in Australia.

Shhh: Mitchell Johnson, George Bailey and David Warner in 2013.Credit: Getty Images

The former speed demon took to social media on Friday to poke fun at the governing body for inviting him and a guest to the 2024 Australian Cricket Awards night, an event where the Allan Border Medallist is named.

Though the night is co-organised by players union the Australian Cricketers’ Association, Johnson was zeroing in on the stumps of CA.

“Is Cricket Australia serious??” Johnson wrote on Instagram to his 778,000 followers in a post signed off with three laughing emojis. “Last week I was cancelled from 2 speaking engagements, this week I’m invited to celebrate with them.”

The post was accompanied by American anti-authoritarian band Rage Against the Machine’s song Take the Power Back, which targets the media for being an instrument of capitalist propaganda.

Mitchell Johnson’s response on social media.Credit: Instagram

Ironically, the tension between Johnson and CA stems from a vitriolic column he wrote in The West Australian newspaper, owned by Seven West Media, attacking opener David Warner and chief selector George Bailey earlier this month.

All past Allan Border and Belinda Clark medallists are invited to the function. Johnson won the award in 2014 after his destructive performance in the 2013-14 Ashes whitewash.

It is not known if Johnson will accept the offer to be a part of the awards night, which the invitation says are a “wonderful celebration of our sport and highlight the achievements, passion and dedication of our champion teams and players in all formats of the game”.

CA offered a dead bat to the issue when contacted for comment on Friday.

CA pulled Johnson from speaking at two official functions during the Perth Test to ensure players would not be upset by their former teammate turned columnist speaking at an official function run by their employer.

“Mitchell is one of Australia’s most celebrated bowlers, but we felt on this occasion it was in everyone’s best interests that he was not the guest speaker at the CA functions,” a CA spokesperson said.

Though Johnson found support for his critique of Warner’s place in the team before the Perth Test, he has admitted he regretted personal criticism of the opener, including the quip that “Bunnings would sell out of sandpaper” during the veteran’s farewell Test tour.