Mitchell Johnson scoffs at Cricket Australia for inviting him to awards night

Mitchell Johnson has ridiculed Cricket Australia (CA) for inviting him to an awards night only a week after the board called off two of his speaking engagements. 

The governing body has cancelled two of the retired speedster’s guest speaking gigs during the first test in Perth last week due to his polemical column about David Warner and chief selector George Bailey. 

Johnson, who is commentating on radio with Triple M this summer, had kept silent after it was disclosed he had been discontinued from the paid talks. 

But the former left arm quickie expressed his rancour on social media after receiving an invite from the board for the Australian cricket Awards 2024. 

Is Cricket Australia serious??," Johnson stated on Instagram, including a screenshot of his invite along with the Rage Against The Machine song 'Take the Power Back'.

"Last week I was cancelled from 2 speaking engagements. This week I'm invited to celebrate with them."

Johnson took a jibe at Warner, his former team mate, questioning the “hero send off” and reopened old wounds from Sandpaper Gate in an contentious article for the West Australian. 

The former cricketer was also very critical of Bailey’s position in the board , saying his other ex teammate had a conflict of interest in determining Warner's future.  

After the harsh criticism, Warner responded with a blistering 164 in the opening test against Pakistan to guarantee his SCG farewell from five day cricket. 

Johnson later said the column was self motivated following messages from Warner and Bailey earlier in 2023. 

"I tried to ring [Warner] to talk to him about it, which I've always been open about with the guys," he explained on his Mitchell Johnson Cricket Show podcast with broadcaster Bharat Sundaresan.

"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."

Warner has refused to exacerbate the situation, saying Johnson is entitled to his opinions.