Australia's Johnson finally finds wicket-taking form

By Simon Evans

BRIDGETOWN (Reuters) - Australia bowler Mitchell Johnson produced his best test performance with four wickets against West Indies in the third test, salvaging his reputation at the end of a disappointing tour.

The left-arm medium-quick had taken just five wickets in the previous two tests but after another poor start on Friday he suddenly clicked and sliced through the bottom half of the West Indian batting line-up.

Johnson's first over went for 12 and his first spell of four overs before lunch ended with figures of 0-31. He put that down to tension.

"With how my tour has been and with not getting too many wickets, I sort of felt that I really needed to get some in the morning and probably just forced it a little bit too much," he said.

"I had a few of the boys just calm me down a little bit. After I got (Dwayne) Bravo out I just felt really relaxed, it put a big smile on my face, I guess that is how I perform at my best," he said.

Having picked up four wickets for 10 runs in his later spell, Johnson conceded that he was more at ease with the older ball.

"At the moment, I seem to find that I am a lot more comfortable when the ball is a little older. With the new ball I try and swing the ball and that is not how I play my game, I sort of hit the deck hard and get it through.

"I think I am just going to keep working on hitting the deck hard and working the ball through. Hopefully I will get another chance with the new ball again -- we have another innings so we will see what happens," he said.