Johnson admits he’s nearing retirement

“I’m happy with it (Smith’s captaincy), and I know the players are with the way he talks to them behind the scenes”, Lehmann said.

The WACA ground will feature its traditional quick and bouncy wicket for the second Test beginning Friday, an attribute that will please Australian quicks Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc and an expected four-man New Zealand pace attack. “It could be after this game”.

“But I am still enjoying my cricket at the moment”.

Johnson admitted he was disappointed to see a few chances go begging off his bowling in Brisbane.

“As long as I’m performing well and doing my job in the team [I’ll stay]”. They get carried away with the bounce and the pace sometimes. “You have your niggles here and there, just like every other fast bowler that’s been before me”. That’s pretty awesome and I’m not sure. I’ve grown up playing here. It doesn’t sound great, but I like that feeling. “We’re always compared with the olden days and for us it’s just trying to get it as close as we can”.

“So I’ll take a great deal of confidence out of not only last week (in Brisbane), but coming home and batting on my home strip”.

On being given the choice, Johnson said he would like to retire in Australia itself. “I’m not emotional or anything like that, because I’m not retiring right now”.

Southee was unable to bowl in the second innings of the Gabba Test but after having a run around and a bowl yesterday, the signs are promising he will play tomorrow. “I think I’d like to finish my career here if I had the choice”, he said.

Joe Burns has sealed his opening spot with knocks of 71 and 129 in the first Test against New Zealand.

But the jury is out on just how much longer Johnson – still 45 scalps behind his mentor Dennis Lillee – plays after the home summer. “It is a bit of a surprise to me, the way he played”.

Wagner said his side’s pacemen were also capable of intimidation at the Perth venue, where they will seek to level the three-Test series.

According to Johnson, he and his fellow bowlers had inadvertently played to Williamson’s strengths.

“Just watching cricket here over the years, I think overseas teams have come here and bowled a bit too short”.

An entertaining 46-run last-wicket stand between Mark Craig and Trent Boult held the Aussies up a little further, but victory was secured when Boult was caught behind off the bowling of Mitchell Starc (2-69).