Sydney, Nov. 8  : Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson has refuted claims that his international career is close to getting over, despite slim pickings in the Sheffield Shield matches over the past week.

Across the two Shield innings and Ryobi Cup match, Johnson posted figures of 3-135 from 38 overs, which seem to indicate that the 31-year-old is a long way from his best form, and perhaps at long odds to regain his Test berth, but the left-armer insisted that the recent figures were misleading.

"I don't think you can read the paper and see the results and see a true result from that. I feel like I've been bowling well. I am really enjoying playing Shield cricket at the moment. I still feel like I need to play a few more games there to really get myself to where I want to be. I'm not far away," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Johnson, as saying.

"It [rhythm] is getting to where I want to be. I know what I'm doing. In 2009 things were going pretty well but I didn't know why, whereas now I actually know why it's happening," he added.

Rising Australian star Glenn Maxwell also seemed to share the same notion, as he said that he was impressed by Johnson's bowling techniques and denied that his international career was almost "finished".

"The first one I faced went a fair margin and Finchy even noticed at the other end, which is pretty surprising when a bowler is bowling that fast you actually see it swing from the other end. It's tough work and he bowled really well," Maxewell said.

"That's not the case at all - comfortably not the case at all. He bowled really well, fast and really had us on the back foot and we were just really trying to get through that spell," he added. (ANI)