It can be a brutal, unforgiving game for bowlers and you are not likely to hear Ian Butler suggest anything different any time soon.
The Otago seamer has been dropped from the squad following some dismal bowling at the death.
The former international has struggled to find a good length and has been whacked for 87 runs from six overs in the last two games. More than half those runs came from just two overs.
"Butts is an important part of our options at the death but, at the moment, it is just not working," Johnson said.
"I think he is down on confidence a wee bit and we need to make a change in that area.
"We need to improve and he is the one who misses out on this occasion. It is tough for him, but we need to do what is best for our unit."
Butler's departure ought to have banished any complacency in the Otago camp because he is certainly not alone in his form slump.
Aaron Redmond is in a dreadful batting trough and Neil Wagner's spot is by no means safe. The left-armer has been in terrific form in first-class cricket but labours with the white ball.
"I'm not prepared to say who is on the chopping block but I am prepared to say that Neil didn't execute as well as he could [on Tuesday], either. But, in terms of that, our strategy and what we do with our bowling may change a little bit for this game.
"Wags is a guy who hits the hole well. But he is also a guy who can bowl heavy and hard and get wickets and may be used to bowl more up front in the future." While it is easy to condemn poor bowling, spare a thought for Butler and his cohorts.
Bowlers are in a desperate battle to remain relevant in twenty/20.
The once proud breed has to endure draconian fielding and bowling restrictions which effectively restrict their impact to little more than nuisance value.
Should they threaten to suck the limelight from the batsmen, even for a moment, the game's governing body has an insurance plan, limiting each bowler to a measly four-over cameo.
And if the odds were not long enough, the batsmen's kit is space-age technology, compared with the medieval tools at the bowler's disposal.
All the pitiful seamer has is a bit of spit and old fashioned elbow grease.
Heaven forbid should one of the desperate sods smuggle a bottle top out on to the field or use a fingernail to `tamper' with the ball. It is against the laws, of course, and rumour is all swing bowling will soon be strictly forbidden.
The batsmen, meanwhile, wield great clumps of wood so potent and with edges so thick it is enough to threaten life on earth.
And should a bowler slip one past their defences, no worries, they have every possible conceivable pad insulating their body from harm.
And the big hits? Well, they just do not have to be that big any more.
Boundaries, in general, are much smaller than they once were and the pitches may as well be tarseal. It is a recipe which ends in lots of sixes and countless boundaries. That said, Otago's bowlers have to and can do better.
"We need to bowl more to a pattern," Johnson said.
"When Baz [Brendon McCullum] sets a field he needs to know that guys can come in and execute and bowl the line and length he has asked for.
"Our plan at the death changes and it may well be that our strategy will change for this game. But we need to be more consistent than we have been."
Otago v ND
University Oval, today
Otago (from): Aaron Redmond (captain), Brendon McCullum, Neil Broom, Craig Cumming, Nathan McCullum, Jimmy Neesham, Derek de Boorder, Neil Wagner, Nick Beard, James McMillan, Craig Smith, Michael Bracewell.
Northern Districts (from): Scott Styris (captain), Graeme Aldridge, Corey Anderson, Brent Arnel, Trent Boult, Anton Devcich, Brett Hampton, Hamish Marshall, Peter McGlashan, Tim Southee, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson, Brad Wilson.
