Without a professional cricket contract, Australia’s Spencer Johnson was a landscape gardener till last year. But all that has changed now, the Aussie speedster will now be busy designing a career in the IPL.
Johnson’s an IPL millionaire after Gujarat Titans shelled out Rs 10 crore for him at the IPL auction in Dubai on Tuesday and that capped an extraordinary rise as there was a time, not too long ago, when it looked like his cricket career could be over.
“Eighteen months (ago) I didn’t have a state deal or a Big Bash contract. I was working as a landscaper and greenskeeper. So fast-forward 18 months, yeah, it’s definitely different situations,” he told reporters here.
A recurring stress fracture in his foot, first suffered during his professional debut for South Australia in a one-day game way back in 2017, led to three years out of the game and loss of contract.
After surgery and prolonged rehabilitation, the 28-year-old left-arm pacer regained his South Australia contract in mid-2022 and made his Big Bash League debut for Brisbane Heat in January this year.
Johnson was largely unknown outside of state cricket circles before he announced himself as a fast bowler of note for the Heat in last season’s Big Bash League with his 150 kmph thunderbolts.
Johnson said netting the lucrative IPL contract was a special moment, but it was more satisfying to see his mother smile on FaceTime.
“It’s obviously a pretty special moment, I never really thought I’d be in this situation,” Johnson said ahead of Brisbane Heat’s BBL match against Melbourne Renegades.
“But it was nice to get on the FaceTime back home in Adelaide (with) mum and to see her smile. It’s not just my moment, I guess it’s a moment for my whole family and they’ve been there the whole way. So for them to experience it as well, it’s pretty special.”
With just 30 overseas players’ spots up for grabs in the mini auction in Dubai, Johnson thought his opportunity might not come.
“I think the longer it went, I guess you start to lose a little bit of hope. So the longer it was going, I think the less chance I had.
“But at the end of the day, I was in a position where I was in the auction, and this time last year I wasn’t. So whatever happened was going to happen, and anything would have been a good result.”
Love for Tests
Despite the life-changing IPL contact, Johnson believes Test cricket is actually where his strengths lie.
“Ideally, I’d like to play more red ball. I think my body’s just let me down over the last few years, but my body’s hardening and I’m getting ready to play, hopefully, some longer format cricket, which is, I feel, my better format.
“I think post-Big Bash, we’ll get back to South Australia and play the last four Shield games there. And then, hopefully with a couple of performances, you never know what might happen.”
With inputs from PTI
Gillespie poser on Pat price
Sydney: Former Australia pacer Jason Gillespie has questioned Pat Cummins’ massive IPL price tag, saying T20 cricket is not the quick’s best format but backed Mitchell Starc’s jaw-dropping Rs 24.75-crore deal.
Cummins attracted the second highest paycheck in the auction in Dubai on Tuesday after an intense bidding war among Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Chennai Super Kings, and Sunrisers Hyderabad, who shelled out Rs 20.5 crore forthe Australia World Cup-winning captain.
“Pat’s obviously a quality bowler and a quality leader, we’ve seen that. I just don’t think T20 is his best format,” Gillespie told SEN Radio. “I think he’s a Test bowler. I think Test cricket is his absolute bread and butter.”
It was not the first time that Cummins, who has 55 wickets in 50 T20I matches at an average of 24.54 and economy of 7.37 in T20Is, attracted huge sums at the IPL auction. Ahead of the 2020 edition, KKR paid him Rs 15.5 crore.
“He’s a good T20 bowler, make no mistake. But that’s massive overs for me,” Gillespie added.
Starc, who’s returning to the IPL after 2015, however, is “a great buy” for Kolkata Knight Riders, Gillespie said.
PTI
