Who is Spencer Johnson? Pacer who claimed 3/1 in Hundred
It has been a sensational last week for Spencer Johnson who finished with figures worth 3/1 from 20 balls on his The Hundred debut for Oval Invincibles. The speedster was nearly unplayable against Manchester Originals as the Invincibles won by 94 runs. A few days back, the left-arm pacer also earned his maiden Australia call-up. Here is all you need to know about him.
A fiery spell from Johnson
Johnson was roped in by Invincibles as a replacement for injured Pakistan pacer Ihsanullah. The 27-year-old brilliantly tackled dashers like Jos Buttler and Phil Salt as he conceded just a solitary run in his first two sets of five balls each. The speedster did not concede a single run in his final 10 balls while he dismissed Usama Mir, Tom Hartley, and Joshua Little.
Cheapest spell in The Hundred
Johnson delivered the cheapest spell in Hundred's brief history. As per ESPNcricinfo, he bowled the fifth-most economical spell in T20 cricket and the second-most in any major tournament (minimum: 20 balls bowled). Notably, three days before his Hundred debut, Johnson played the Global T20 Canada final for Montreal Tigers. However, his side lost the summit clash to Surrey Jaguars by five wickets.
Injuries have troubled Johnson
Johnson is part Italian as his grandfather moved to Australia from Italy as a young man. The pacer's journey to the top has been full of challenges as he suffered a recurring stress fracture in his left foot soon after his List A debut in 2017. He was ruled out of the game for three years.
Sensational start to BBL career
Johnson made his T20 debut for Brisbane Heat in the 2022-23 Big Bash League. His ability to constantly clock over 145 KPH impressed many greats of the game including Brett Lee. He finished the competition with nine wickets in 10 games at an impressive economy of 7.55. Johnson has not looked back since then and has gone from strength to strength.
Call-up to the Australian team
Johnson is in line to make his international debut as he has earned his maiden national call-up for the three-match away T20I series against South Africa, starting August 30. With the likes of Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Pat Cummins being rested for the series, Johnson has a great chance to make a mark. He would enjoy operating on pace-friendly South African tracks.
Here are his overall numbers
Making his First Class debut for South Australia earlier this year, Johnson has returned with 20 wickets in four games in the format at 23.15. The tally includes two fifers. In List A games, he owns six wickets in as many outings at 48.33. He has played 11 T20 games so far, scalping 12 wickets at an impressive economy of 6.95.
