Who is Spencer Johnson? 5 interesting facts about GT fast bowler who took 2/25 vs MI in IPL 2024
Spencer Johnson has grabbed the headlines with an impressive spell of 3/1 on his debut in the Men's Hundred 2023. Playing for The Oval Invincibles on Wednesday (August 9), Johnson bowled 20 balls against Manchester Originals, where he picked up three wickets and conceded only one run.
The left-arm fast bowler bowled 19 dot balls in his spell of 20 balls. He bagged the wickets of Usama Mir, Tom Hartley and Joshua Little to help The Oval Invincibles win the match by 94 runs.
Almost every cricket fan has been talking about Spencer Johnson after his extraordinary performance in the Men's Hundred 2023. On that note, here's a look at the five things you should know about The Oval Invincibles speedster.
#1 Spencer Johnson made his T20 debut earlier this year only
Johnson has played only 11 matches in his T20 career so far. The left-arm fast bowler earned his maiden T20 cap earlier this year during the Big Bash League. Brisbane Heat included him in their playing XI for a league-stage match against the Perth Scorchers.
While Johnson remained wicketless on debut, he has managed to pick up 12 wickets so far in the shortest format of the game. If the 27-year-old maintains his fitness, he can end up being one of the best fast bowlers from Australia.
#2 Spencer Johnson can clock 150 kmph consistently
Before his debut in the Men's Hundred 2023, Johnson grabbed everyone's attention by bowling a maiden over to Adelaide Strikers' star Chris Lynn in the Big Bash League. Although Johnson's run-up does not give away that he is 150 kmph bowler, his deliveries beat Lynn consistently.
Lynn, who is one of the most successful batters in Big Bash League history, could hardly tackle Johnson's pace. Many Australian fans even compared Spencer with Mitchell Johnson after watching the above video from the Big Bash League.
#3 Spencer Johnson made his List-A debut in 2017
While Johnson has now turned heads with his pace and accuracy in T20 cricket, not many fans would know that he started his List-A career in 2017. Johnson received his maiden List-A cap from South Australia in a JLT One-Day Cup match against Victoria.
He opened the bowling for South Australia in that match and returned with figures of 1/72 in 10 overs. Johnson has played only six matches in the List-A format, scalping six wickets.
#4 Spencer Johnson was ruled out of cricket for 3 years due to injury
Johnson suffered a recurring stress fracture in his left foot soon after his List-A debut in 2017. The injury was so severe that the Australian speedster could not even run for the first 12 months and was out of action for three years.
Sharing the details of his treatment, Johnson told ESPNCricinfo:
"The surgeon said I'm not sure how this is going to go, I've never done this operation before. And he was the best foot surgeon there was in Sydney! So that was really scary."
#5 Spencer Johnson worked as a greenskeeper in Australia
South Australia stood by him for three years, but eventually Johnson lost his contract, forcing him to take another job to earn money. His then-BBL team, Adelaide Strikers, paid him for three months in a year, and in the other nine months, he would work as a local greenskeeper.
A greenskeeper is someone who looks after a golf course. After a lengthy recovery period, Johnson is finally realizing his full potential now. He has been selected in Australia's squad for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa as well.