Cricket
Johnson hoping to play first-class cricket again after injury-free run
Australia’s left-arm speedster Spencer Johnson is setting his sights on a return to first-class cricket, buoyed by a rare period of injury-free consistency and a successful red-ball outing for South Australia’s Second XI.
Johnson, who turns 31 next month, is primed to serve as a key strike bowler for Australia’s upcoming white-ball series against England. With primary pacers Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc rested ahead of the Test series against New Zealand, Johnson steps into a leading role in the attack.
The journey back to this point has required patience. Johnson missed an entire year of cricket during the 2025–26 period due to a severe lumbar stress fracture. Since resuming action—starting with three IPL matches in May and an international T20 series in Bangladesh in June—he has steadily built his workload through ODIs against Zimbabwe, Australia A matches in India, and a career-best List A spell for South Australia.
Despite playing only six first-class matches in his career and none since November 2024, Johnson maintains strong ambitions to excel in the longer format.
"Definitely," Johnson told reporters in Adelaide. "I played a Second XI game last week and managed to tick that off. Got through. It was a nice hit out, first red-ball game in two years. So it's definitely something I'm working towards. And I think playing a bilateral one-day series, there's three games in five or six days, so that's probably as good a load as you're going to get for a red-ball match. And yeah, hopefully we get there."
During his red-ball return in Mildura against Victoria's Second XI, Johnson sent down 29 overs across two innings, collecting match figures of 1 for 93. It marked his heaviest bowling load in a single match since his last Sheffield Shield appearance, where he delivered 45 overs before physical setbacks forced a shift in focus to short-form cricket.
While Johnson was once tipped as a natural long-term successor to Mitchell Starc in the Test arena, both he and Australia’s coaching staff acknowledge the physical demands required to sustain that level.
"I'm still getting there," Johnson admitted. "Having 12 months off, I'm not going to feel like I was probably two years ago straight away. The more continuity I get with my game and string a few together, hopefully, I'll get there."
His primary focus during the upcoming 50-over matches against England will be executing high-velocity spells without fading as the innings progresses.
"I think it's been just a little bit inconsistent, especially with the new ball," Johnson said. "That's been the main focus for me: swinging it, bowling fast. That's what I'm getting picked to do. Maintaining speed over one-day cricket—it's 10 overs, but you're a long time in the field, so maintaining speed and energy for spells is something I've been working on."
Johnson is not the only fast bowler navigating a carefully managed return. Exciting 21-year-old Western Australia quick Mahli Beardman—who suffered a stress fracture in February—will also feature against England while continuing to build toward a potential first-class debut. Meanwhile, Lance Morris is returning to List A cricket after back surgery and a side strain, while Queensland's Under-19 World Cup star Callum Vidler continues a gradual rehabilitation program.
As Australia plans for the eventual transition of its aging Test pace trio, Johnson's ability to maintain form, speed, and fitness through the upcoming international fixtures could prove crucial to his long-term red-ball aspirations.