Ashes 2015: Misfiring Mitchell Johnson reaches century of the wrong kind as England's tormentor-in-chief struggles to find his form

He might have been the scourge of England in the last disastrous whitewash of an Ashes series, but Mitchell Johnson was far from on fire in the first innings of this Test match.

The moustachioed fast bowler, a 6ft 2 thorn in England’s side the last time these sides met, failed to take a wicket on days one and two in Cardiff as the tourists had to rely on their other bowlers to eventually dismiss England for 430.

In fact poor old Mitch not only had to put up with the jeers of the Sophia Gardens crowd, but also turned in his worst ever bowling figures.

Johnson finished England’s innings with figures of 0/111 from 25 overs, not the kind of century any cricketer wants to record.

It was the left-armer’s worst figures since 2010, also against England, when Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott combined to make 517/1 declared, at the Gabba in Brisbane.

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On that occasion Johnson took 0/104 from 27 overs, as England defiantly drew the opening Test of the series.

A misfiring Johnson was exactly what England would have wanted and fans everywhere will be hoping it is a sign of things to come and that the horrors of the 2013/14 Ashes series have finally been laid to rest.

With Johnson wicketless, it was left to his fellow Mitchell, Starc, to pick up the slack. The left-armer taking five with Hazlewood and Lyon sharing the rest.