Give me Starc anyday over Johnson
- Starc is 22, Johnson is 31. In this case, youth over age.
- Johnson has already had 48 test matches to prove his worth (yes, even more than Andy Bichel and Michael Kasprowicz), has shown lots of glimpses of potential, but very poor discipline and constant inaccurate bowling undoes all the work for the bowler from the other end in regards to sustaining pressure.
- Also, he has a lot of emotional baggage (e.g. mummy issues on the 2009 Ashes tour, which subsequently had a huge effect on team morale. His bowling at Lord's remains one of the most disgraceful pieces of fast bowling I've ever seen) and as harsh as this sounds, you cannot afford to be carrying 'passengers' at this level. I've noticed his confidence took a huge dent ever since his mum came out being a bitch and aired all their dirty laundry to the media. I feel sorry for him that he has a mum like that, but again it's not fair on the other teammates that they have to bear the brunt of his personal issues.
- I see more improvement and potential in Starc, as shown by those 2 wickets he took in the first innings and the Tendulkar dismissal earlier this year. He just needs to eradicate the loose ball that he has the tendancy of bowling at times, hence why his economy rate is a little bit high. Relating to my first point, I see Starc being the best left-arm fast bowler we've had since Bruce Reid and he's got time on his side (i.e. 9 years younger than Johnson). Johnson, at 31...I can't see him improving or getting back to the glimpses of potential he produced during the 2008/09 season
- Starc can bowl the lethal inswinger to the right-hander; Johnson couldn't even do it in tailor-made conditions at the WACA!