Mitchell Johnson turns the clock back

Mitchell Johnson went to his past to find the key to unlocking his best form with the ball for Australia.

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Mitchell Johnson went to his past to find the key to unlocking his best form with the ball for Australia.

The left-arm fast bowler was in terrific form during yesterday's second day of the third Ashes Test against England in Perth as he claimed six wickets with some devilish swing bowling.

It was a remarkable comeback for the man from Queensland, who had been dropped for the second Test in Adelaide after failing to take a wicket and looking badly out of sorts in the opening Test in Brisbane.

Johnson, 29, who had spent his time away from the team training and bowling in the nets, said watching old footage of himself taking 16 wickets in South Africa last year had sparked his renaissance.

"I looked back at that footage from 2009 when I bowled well in South Africa," he said.

"Just looking at the positioning of my body and where my momentum was going and I think that's really the key.

"It was momentum going forward. I was just trying to get that back into my head and get that action going, getting my momentum forward through the crease."

Johnson said he had remained focused despite being replaced by Doug Bollinger in Adelaide.

He added: "I didn't really get too down on being dropped. Obviously, I was disappointed at the time when I found out but I knew I had to work on a few things and that's what I did."

Johnson dismissed Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Chris Tremlett and James Anderson to finish with figures of six for 38 as England were all out for 187 to give Australia an 81-run first-innings lead.

Play resumed at 6.30am today, UAE time, with Australia on 119 for three in their second innings, a lead of 200.