The Queensland left-armer struggled through much of the Test series but came back strongly in the one-dayers to claim 5-29 in Monday's record 169-run victory over the West Indies in St Kitts.

It was Johnson's second best bowling performance in any format for Australia, lifting him eight spots in the rankings. It also left him tied with Nathan Bracken as the leading wicket-taker for the five-game one-day series.

Both pacemen took eight scalps each, with Bracken climbing back into the No1 spot on the official ICC rankings after another fine series.

Johnson struggled for consistency in his first Test series on foreign soil averaging close to 50 in the opening two matches while conceding the new ball to the ever-reliable Stuart Clark. But he finally found his feet with a four-wicket haul in the third Test in Barbados.

He fared far better in the one-dayers, with stand-in skipper Michael Clarke handing him the new ball for the fifth and final match.

Johnson responded by taking the key wicket of Chris Gayle in his first over, before picking up his second career ODI five-wicket haul.

''He was brilliant,'' Clarke said of Johnson. ''I thought he was the pick of the bowlers in our final two games.

''(On Monday) I thought it was a great opportunity for Mitch to open the bowling into the breeze, and he did very well, and certainly deserved his five-for.

''He's had a lot of missed chances off his bowling throughout both series, Test and one-dayers, so it was great to see him get the reward in the last game.

''I think every time your performances aren't where you like them a little bit of self-doubt starts to creep in.

''But I think where Mitch has done very well is he's continued to train hard, continued to bowl the way he knows how to bowl.''

Johnson's poor start and confidence-boosting finish to the tour was in direct contrast to Clark's. AAP