MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - DECEMBER 28: Kevin Pietersen (L) of England and Mitchell Johnson of Australia have a confrontation on the pitch during day three of the Fourth Ashes Test Match between Australia and England at Melbourne Cricket Ground on December 28, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

Following Mitchell Johnson's book extract detailing Simon Katich's reaction to his bust-up with Michael Clarke in 2009, Johnson has once again shed some light on an interesting story.

Australia traveled to England for the Ashes in 2009 and Johnson was one of the world's most damaging bowlers at the time, but a recent dip in form had the left-arm paceman feeling the pinch.

The following is an extract from Mitchell Johnson's autobiography, Resilient. The book is out on Monday October 24.

Things got out of hand during the warm-up for the Test and what happened probably indicates where my head was at.

Kevin Pietersen is a guy who likes to stir things up and I can appreciate that.

He knows how to get under people’s skin and when we were bowling in the morning he played a few pull shots in our direction.

It wasn’t exactly harmless because we could easily have stood on a ball in our run-ups.

I threw a ball back to where he was and I suggested he stop it. Of course, he didn’t. When he hit another one towards me I kicked it as far as I could in the other direction.

Words were exchanged and KP crossed the line in what he said. He got really personal and I’m not going to dignify his comments by repeating them.

The red mist descended and I stormed in his direction with every intention in the world of hitting him.

This was all being played out in full view of spectators who had arrived early and the media.

Stu Clark saw it all happen and came rushing over just as we came together and jumped between us.

KP is a big guy, but I was very worked up. Fortunately, Stu is bigger than both of us because it took a bit to convince me not to go through with what I planned.

I am so glad Stu was there. A few years later there was a minor scuffle between Davey Warner and Joe Root in a bar at Birmingham and that had serious ramifications.

I can tell you that this wouldn’t have been a minor scuffle. I have rarely had a fight in my life, but when I have had a chance to pull the gloves on I’ve loved it.

During the boot camp ahead of the 2006-07 Ashes series we had to get in the ring with a professional cage fighter. He was a scary bloke and I landed a couple of good hits. Hardly anyone else touched him.

If KP and I had gone toe to toe, life might have taken another strange twist.

I was pretty disappointed with what he said and it stayed in the back of my mind after that.

We had conversations off the field and he seemed okay, but I wouldn’t say he was the sort of bloke I would ring up or send a text congratulating him on his career.

There are limits to what you can say. I am sure everyone knows the line.

You can’t bring family or stuff like that in it and I’m sure he knew had gone too far, but he did it on purpose because he wanted to get me going.