Left-arm speedster Spencer Johnson is hopeful that an uninterrupted run with Australia's ODI team can help him return to first-class cricket after making a successful red-ball return for South Australia's second XI last week.
Johnson, who turns 31 next month, will be a key strike weapon in Australia's upcoming ODI and T20I series against England in the absence of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc who have all been rested ahead of the Test series against New Zealand. Nathan Ellis will also miss the ODI series but will return for the T20Is.
Johnson is enjoying a rare run without injury after missing a year of cricket in 2025-26 due to a lumbar stress fracture. He played three IPL games in May followed by an international return on Australia's T20I tour of Bangladesh in June. Since then he has played two ODIs for Australia against Zimbabwe before playing two unofficial ODIs for Australia A in India and then taking career-best List A figures for South Australia in a One-Day Cup game in mid-October.
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But despite not playing a first-class game since November 2024, and only six in his career, Johnson said he still has ambition to return to first-class cricket.
"Definitely," Johnson told reporters in Adelaide on Tuesday. "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."
While Australia's Test side were playing in Cape Town, Johnson bowled 29 overs across two innings in Mildura for SA's Second XI against Victoria's Second XI, returning match figures of 1 for 93. They were the most overs he has bowled in a match since his last Shield game where he delivered 45 before another run of injuries forced him to focus on white-ball cricket.
Johnson said he is still working his way back to full fitness after his injury issues.
"I'm still getting there," Johnson said. "I think that's been the the topic of conversation for me with the coaches here. It's obviously having 12 months off, but not going to feel like I was probably two years ago straight away. And yeah, the more continuity I get with my game and string a few together. Hopefully, I'll get there."
There was a brief time when Johnson was being touted as a long-term replacement for Mitchell Starc in Australia's Test team but he and Australia's heirarchy are well aware that a lot of work is required to get his body to a place where he could handle the load.
It is a similar case for exciting 21-year-old Western Australia quick Mahli Beardman who will also be unleashed against England. Beardman is yet to play first-class cricket and is a long way from being ready to handle Test match loads after suffering a stress fracture in February when there was a plan to try and build him up to his maiden first-class game at the end of last summer.
Australia's pace stocks have been a topic of conversation in the aftermath of the loss to Cape Town. Lance Morris is finally returning to List A action after 18 months out following back surgery having had his early season Shield return scuppered by a side strain. Exciting Queensland quick Callum Vidler, Beardman's Under-19 World Cup-winning team-mate, is still yet to bowl in Queensland Premier Cricket after a long, slow build back from his stress fracture last summer. His domestic return is still being determined.
Despite the need for Australia to find replacements for their aging quicks sooner rather than later, Johnson knows that stringing games together and learning how to sustain his pace and his control across the course of 50-over and red-ball matches is his major focus right now.
"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. So, and 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."