Farewell, Mitchy. In a career spanning ten years riddled with euphoric highs and miserable lows, Australian speedster Mitchell Johnson picked up over 500 international wickets and played a key role in two of Australia’s greatest triumphs in recent times, the 5-0 demolition of England at home in the 2013-14 Ashes and the 2015 World Cup triumph. On Tuesday, Cricket Australia said Johnson would be retiring from all forms of international cricket at the end of the current test against New Zealand.

In many ways, Johnson was a throwback to the great Australian fast-bowling traditions of yore, perfected by Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thompson. Sporting a villainous, handle-bar moustache in the later stages of his career, Johnson relied on pure pace and steep bounce to snare his victims. In his element, he was a bowler whom batsmen feared and audiences flocked to watch.

When he was brought back to the Australian team to reclaim the Ashes at home in 2013, there was much mirth among English supporters who assumed he was a spent force. Johnson however shut up critics with an astounding performance, picking up 37 wickets through the five Tests at an average of only 13. More than the wickets, it was how he got them – making the hapless English batman flail about in desperation as he relentlessly peppered them with the short stuff.