Johnson had a forgettable outing at Lord’s where he took just three wickets at the expense of 200 runs and his team ended up conceding a 1-0 lead after losing the Test.
Warne said Johnson should not let his personal problems affect his on field performance.
The leggie was referring to the recent public outburst by his mother Vikki Harber against Johnson’s fiancee Jessica Bratich. Harber had claimed that her son had been stolen from her by Bratich.
“He’s had some pretty big distractions and I’m sure it’s affected him a fair bit, but you have to deal with it before a Test,” Warne said.
“You simply cannot be consumed by it when you’re playing. It’s probably the first time he’s had to deal with anything like this and it affects people differently,” Warne said.
Warne said that the three-day warm up game at Northampton ahead of the third Test is crucial for Johnson.
“If he gets the new ball and continues to spray them, then I don’t think Ricky can use him again and I think he’ll miss out,” Warne told the ‘Australian’.
Published 22 July 2009, 09:37 IST