Australia&rsquo;s Spencer Johnson is hoping to replicate Mitchell Johnson&rsquo;s performance in the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 as the side prepares for the coveted tournament. Derailed with injuries, Johnson will have a huge role to play in the Champions Trophy as Australia will be without skipper Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Starc as they are ruled out due to injury or personal reasons. The Aussie pacer will be one to watch out for as his side bid for the second Champions Trophy title in Pakistan.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Johnson dreams of replicating Starc</h2>
&ldquo;While the ball is swinging, it&rsquo;s (the approach) pitch the ball up and try and hit the stumps,&rdquo; Johnson said after his side&rsquo;s defeat to Sri Lanka in the opening ODI.
&ldquo;Guys like Trent Boult (New Zealand) and Starcy, left-armers who are aggressive, hopefully it&rsquo;s what I can bring to Pakistan. It&rsquo;s something I have pictured in my mind, come in and play a similar role to him (Starc). There was a bit of nerves there. I think I am better for the run, it&rsquo;s only my third ODI, hopefully a few more and I&rsquo;ll be able to replicate some of the stuff he&rsquo;s done,&rdquo; Johnson added.
On Wednesday, Starc decided to pull out of Australia&rsquo;s Champions Trophy squad owing to personal reasons while injury has already seen Cummins and Hazlewood sit out of the tournament. All three pacers have been pivotal to Australia&rsquo;s success in the ODI format having helped them win the 2015 and 2023 ODI World Cup.
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On the other hand, Johnson has taken his opportunity and so far made the most in the Playing XI. He ended with figures of 44/2 in the opening ODI on Wednesday and vows to bring his best during the Champions Trophy.
Australia will start their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign against arch-rivals England on Saturday (Feb 22). With Cummins absent, Steve Smith will lead the team from Down Under as they bid for their first Champions Trophy title since 2009.

Sports, Cricket: Spencer Johnson is hoping to replicate Mitchell Johnson’s performance in the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 as the side prepares for the coveted tournament.

Australia’s Spencer Johnson is hoping to replicate Mitchell Johnson’s performance in the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 as the side prepares for the coveted tournament. Derailed with injuries, Johnson will have a huge role to play in the Champions Trophy as Australia will be without skipper Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Starc as they are ruled out due to injury or personal reasons. The Aussie pacer will be one to watch out for as his side bid for the second Champions Trophy title in Pakistan. Johnson dreams of replicating Starc “While the ball is swinging, it’s (the approach) pitch the ball up and try and hit the stumps,” Johnson said after his side’s defeat to Sri Lanka in the opening ODI. “Guys like Trent Boult (New Zealand) and Starcy, left-armers who are aggressive, hopefully it’s what I can bring to Pakistan. It’s something I have pictured in my mind, come in and play a similar role to him (Starc). There was a bit of nerves there. I think I am better for the run, it’s only my third ODI, hopefully a few more and I’ll be able to replicate some of the stuff he’s done,” Johnson added. On Wednesday, Starc decided to pull out of Australia’s Champions Trophy squad owing to personal reasons while injury has already seen Cummins and Hazlewood sit out of the tournament. All three pacers have been pivotal to Australia’s success in the ODI format having helped them win the 2015 and 2023 ODI World Cup. ALSO READ | Kevin Pietersen gobsmacked after England surrender ODI series 3-0, says 'I’m sorry, but I am absolutely...' On the other hand, Johnson has taken his opportunity and so far made the most in the Playing XI. He ended with figures of 44/2 in the opening ODI on Wednesday and vows to bring his best during the Champions Trophy. Australia will start their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign against arch-rivals England on Saturday (Feb 22). With Cummins absent, Steve Smith will lead the team from Down Under as they bid for their first Champions Trophy title since 2009.

Champions Trophy 2025: Australia's Spencer Johnson dreams of replicating Mitchell Starc

Speedster Spencer Johnson took 5-26 to propel Australia to a tense 13-run victory over Pakistan in Sydney on Saturday and seal their three-match T20 series with a game to go.

Set just 148 to win after Haris Rauf claimed 4-22 to keep the hosts in check, Pakistan were all out for 134 in the final over despite a lively 52 from Usman Khan.

Australia won a rain-hit first match in Brisbane by 29 runs with the final game at Hobart on Monday.

"We thought we were there or thereabouts and I thought the way the bowlers went about it was brilliant," said Australian captain Josh Inglis.

"There's so many options in this team I can go to. Every time I turned to Johnson tonight, he got a wicket. The way they played tonight was really good."&nbsp;

Australia secured a vital breakthrough by removing Babar Azam (3) off Xavier Bartlett in the second over and Pakistan's woes deepened when Johnson accounted for Sahibzada Farhan (5).

Runs were hard to come by and after facing 26 balls for 16, skipper Mohammad Rizwan knew he had to up the tempo.

But it cost him with Tim David taking a fine diving catch in the deep off Johnson, who then bagged Salman Agha next ball, caught behind by Inglis to leave Pakistan on 44-4 after 10 overs.

Khan played himself in and brought up his first T20 half-century.

But Johnson struck again with Abbas Afridi (4) following soon after to earn the 28-year-old a maiden five-wicket haul in his seventh T20.

Two wickets in an over by spin king Adam Zampa piled the pressure on Pakistan who were unable to rise to the challenge.

Earlier, Australia was restricted to 147-9 after a rip-roaring start, but a slew of dropped catches cost Pakistan.

"If you take the positives, the boys bowled very well. We know Australia is not an easy team," said Rizwan.

"But if you drop crucial catches, it will cost you the game.

"We all know the pitch wasn't easy to bat," he added.&nbsp;

Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matthew Short stitched together a highly entertaining 52-run opening stand off just 22 balls before Rauf struck twice in three deliveries.

After tempting Fraser-McGurk (20) into another slog that was taken in the deep by Agha, he enticed a leading edge from Inglis (0).

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Pakistan had their tails up and Short quickly followed for 32, bowled by Afridi, with three wickets falling for four runs.

Marcus Stoinis survived two dropped catches but finally fell on 14, reverse-sweeping to Sufiyan Muqeem, who was brought into side for Haseebullah Khan.

Muqeem's wrist spin then took care of dangerman Glenn Maxwell (21) as the runs dried up.

David was removed by Rauf for 18 and he collected his fourth by bowling Bartlett (5).&nbsp;

Aaron Hardie made a handy 28 before Afridi removed him and Johnson in successive balls in the final over.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Speedster Spencer Johnson took 5-26 to propel Australia to a tense 13-run victory over Pakistan in Sydney on Saturday and seal their three-match T20 series with a game to go.

Speedster Spencer Johnson took 5-26 to propel Australia to a tense 13-run victory over Pakistan in Sydney on Saturday and seal their three-match T20 series with a game to go. Set just 148 to win after Haris Rauf claimed 4-22 to keep the hosts in check, Pakistan were all out for 134 in the final over despite a lively 52 from Usman Khan. Australia won a rain-hit first match in Brisbane by 29 runs with the final game at Hobart on Monday. "We thought we were there or thereabouts and I thought the way the bowlers went about it was brilliant," said Australian captain Josh Inglis. "There's so many options in this team I can go to. Every time I turned to Johnson tonight, he got a wicket. The way they played tonight was really good." Australia secured a vital breakthrough by removing Babar Azam (3) off Xavier Bartlett in the second over and Pakistan's woes deepened when Johnson accounted for Sahibzada Farhan (5). Runs were hard to come by and after facing 26 balls for 16, skipper Mohammad Rizwan knew he had to up the tempo. But it cost him with Tim David taking a fine diving catch in the deep off Johnson, who then bagged Salman Agha next ball, caught behind by Inglis to leave Pakistan on 44-4 after 10 overs. Khan played himself in and brought up his first T20 half-century. But Johnson struck again with Abbas Afridi (4) following soon after to earn the 28-year-old a maiden five-wicket haul in his seventh T20. Two wickets in an over by spin king Adam Zampa piled the pressure on Pakistan who were unable to rise to the challenge. Earlier, Australia was restricted to 147-9 after a rip-roaring start, but a slew of dropped catches cost Pakistan. "If you take the positives, the boys bowled very well. We know Australia is not an easy team," said Rizwan. "But if you drop crucial catches, it will cost you the game. "We all know the pitch wasn't easy to bat," he added. Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matthew Short stitched together a highly entertaining 52-run opening stand off just 22 balls before Rauf struck twice in three deliveries. After tempting Fraser-McGurk (20) into another slog that was taken in the deep by Agha, he enticed a leading edge from Inglis (0). ALSO READ | 'Difficult for me to....,' India skipper Suryakumar on Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma's record-breaking innings Pakistan had their tails up and Short quickly followed for 32, bowled by Afridi, with three wickets falling for four runs. Marcus Stoinis survived two dropped catches but finally fell on 14, reverse-sweeping to Sufiyan Muqeem, who was brought into side for Haseebullah Khan. Muqeem's wrist spin then took care of dangerman Glenn Maxwell (21) as the runs dried up. David was removed by Rauf for 18 and he collected his fourth by bowling Bartlett (5). Aaron Hardie made a handy 28 before Afridi removed him and Johnson in successive balls in the final over. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

AUS vs PAK, 2nd T20I: Spencer Johnson bags five as Australia beat Pakistan to seal series

Injuries continue to make headlines ahead of Australia’s tour of New Zealand, starting with the first of three T20Is on Wednesday (Feb 21) in Wellington. Days after star all-rounder Marcus Stoinis got ruled out of the T20I leg with a back injury, his replacement, Aaron Hardie, has now suffered a calf issue and is out of the squad. Australia have called in seamer Spencer Johnson as his replacement.

Hardie was not among the first-team players selected for the three T20Is, and soon after he got picked, he complained of calf tightness while playing for West Australia against Tasmania in the Sheffield Shield. As a result, he pulled out of the game and the squad for the New Zealand T20Is on precautionary grounds.

Hardie was due to fly to Wellington on Monday morning (Feb 19), missing day four of the Shield clash. But after experiencing tightness in his calf while bowling on day two, he left for the scans. As per the latest reports, the initial scan did not reveal any damage but kept him away from day three of the ongoing game in Hobart.&nbsp;

WA coach Adam Voges confirmed Hardie will bat on the final day if required.&nbsp;

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"He's got a tight calf. It's more precautionary. He'll bat if required tomorrow. Hopefully, it's nothing too significant,” Voges said.

Meanwhile, vice-captain Matthew Wade will remain unavailable for the first T20I as he stayed back in Hobart for the birth of his first child. Wade will rejoin the squad for the second and third games (on Friday and Saturday, respectively) in Auckland.&nbsp;

<h2>Ellis keen on bagging WC spot</h2>

With Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood all selected for New Zealand T20Is, returning Nathan Ellis is unlikely to find a spot in the XI straightaway. Having missed out on playing the West Indies T20I series, Ellis said he cannot wait to take the field against the Kiwis, pressing his case for a spot in the T20 World Cup later this year.&nbsp;

"I was spewing to miss that West Indies series," Ellis said in Wellington on Sunday. "For me now, it's time to hit the ground running and put my name forward for the World Cup.

"There's not a lot of cricket outside of IPL [before] the World Cup after this series. Security [of a spot] isn't there. I don't think it's ever there. It still feels like a dream to play for Australia so I just want to relish every opportunity I get. The goal is to play a World Cup for Australia so I'll be doing my best to keep my hat in the ring,” Ellis concluded.&nbsp;

Injuries continue to make headlines ahead of Australia’s tour of New Zealand, starting with the first of three T20Is on Wednesday (Feb 21) in Wellington. Days after star all-rounder Marcus Stoinis got ruled out of the T20I leg with a back injury, his replacement, Aaron Hardie, has now suffered a calf issue and is out of the squad.

Injuries continue to make headlines ahead of Australia’s tour of New Zealand, starting with the first of three T20Is on Wednesday (Feb 21) in Wellington. Days after star all-rounder Marcus Stoinis got ruled out of the T20I leg with a back injury, his replacement, Aaron Hardie, has now suffered a calf issue and is out of the squad. Australia have called in seamer Spencer Johnson as his replacement. Hardie was not among the first-team players selected for the three T20Is, and soon after he got picked, he complained of calf tightness while playing for West Australia against Tasmania in the Sheffield Shield. As a result, he pulled out of the game and the squad for the New Zealand T20Is on precautionary grounds. Hardie was due to fly to Wellington on Monday morning (Feb 19), missing day four of the Shield clash. But after experiencing tightness in his calf while bowling on day two, he left for the scans. As per the latest reports, the initial scan did not reveal any damage but kept him away from day three of the ongoing game in Hobart. WA coach Adam Voges confirmed Hardie will bat on the final day if required. ALSO READ: 'I feared him, he gave me sleepless nights': Gautam Gambhir on facing Rohit Sharma in IPL "He's got a tight calf. It's more precautionary. He'll bat if required tomorrow. Hopefully, it's nothing too significant,” Voges said. Meanwhile, vice-captain Matthew Wade will remain unavailable for the first T20I as he stayed back in Hobart for the birth of his first child. Wade will rejoin the squad for the second and third games (on Friday and Saturday, respectively) in Auckland. Ellis keen on bagging WC spot With Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood all selected for New Zealand T20Is, returning Nathan Ellis is unlikely to find a spot in the XI straightaway. Having missed out on playing the West Indies T20I series, Ellis said he cannot wait to take the field against the Kiwis, pressing his case for a spot in the T20 World Cup later this year. "I was spewing to miss that West Indies series," Ellis said in Wellington on Sunday. "For me now, it's time to hit the ground running and put my name forward for the World Cup. "There's not a lot of cricket outside of IPL [before] the World Cup after this series. Security [of a spot] isn't there. I don't think it's ever there. It still feels like a dream to play for Australia so I just want to relish every opportunity I get. The goal is to play a World Cup for Australia so I'll be doing my best to keep my hat in the ring,” Ellis concluded.

Stoinis' replacement Aaron Hardie ruled out of New Zealand T20Is, Spencer Johnson added to squad

Australia has added Michael Neser to the squad for the remainder of South Africa ODIs to bolster the attack as star quicks continue to recover ahead of the Cricket World Cup 2023. Neser, 33, has played only two ODIs before, in 2018 against England, and will join the Aussie squad in Potchefstroom before the third One-Dayer.

Left-arm quick Spencer Johnson, who made himself available in the absence of seasoned campaigner Mitchell Starc, is said to have picked up a minor hamstring injury. Though he is likely out of contention for this series, Spencer will travel with the squad to India for the three ODIs.

Speaking on the call to bring in the experienced Neser for this series, selector Tony Dodemaide said, "[He] is an experienced all-format cricketer who will provide us with an extra fast bowling option should that be required for the remainder of the tour."

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While Starc suffered a groin injury that ruled him out of the ODIs, regular skipper Pat Cummins skipped the series as he is recovering from the wrist injury sustained during the Ashes. Besides, the latest injury to all-rounder Cameron Green further worries the travelling side, as Australia hopes to land in India with their injury-free A-squad.

Other than the bowlers, Steve Smith is out with a wrist injury, while Glenn Maxwell, who was due to miss the ODIs to return home for the birth of his child, suffered an ankle injury.&nbsp;

Senior pacer Josh Hazlewood led the pace of the attack in the first game, and with rookie Aaron Hardie in the line-up, Australia can bank on the youngsters to do the job.

<h2>Marnus made most of ‘an unlikely’ chance</h2>

Marnus Labuschagne, the Test specialist, made the first ODI about himself without even making it into the playing XI in the first place. Coming on as a concussion substitute for injured Green, who got hit on the helmet by Kagiso Rabada, Marnus scored an unbeaten 80, helping his team chase a moderate total of 223.

With this, Marnus pressed his case for an unlikely call-up to the side for his maiden 50-over World Cup.&nbsp;

South Africa leads the five-match series 1-0, and the second game is scheduled in Bloemfontein on Saturday. 
&nbsp;

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Australia has added Michael Neser to the squad for the remainder of South Africa ODIs to bolster the attack as star quicks continue to recover ahead of the Cricket World Cup 2023.

Australia has added Michael Neser to the squad for the remainder of South Africa ODIs to bolster the attack as star quicks continue to recover ahead of the Cricket World Cup 2023. Neser, 33, has played only two ODIs before, in 2018 against England, and will join the Aussie squad in Potchefstroom before the third One-Dayer. Left-arm quick Spencer Johnson, who made himself available in the absence of seasoned campaigner Mitchell Starc, is said to have picked up a minor hamstring injury. Though he is likely out of contention for this series, Spencer will travel with the squad to India for the three ODIs. Speaking on the call to bring in the experienced Neser for this series, selector Tony Dodemaide said, "[He] is an experienced all-format cricketer who will provide us with an extra fast bowling option should that be required for the remainder of the tour." ALSO READ: Suryakumar Yadav hasn’t cracked the ODI game yet, switch in mindset could benefit him: AB de Villiers While Starc suffered a groin injury that ruled him out of the ODIs, regular skipper Pat Cummins skipped the series as he is recovering from the wrist injury sustained during the Ashes. Besides, the latest injury to all-rounder Cameron Green further worries the travelling side, as Australia hopes to land in India with their injury-free A-squad. Other than the bowlers, Steve Smith is out with a wrist injury, while Glenn Maxwell, who was due to miss the ODIs to return home for the birth of his child, suffered an ankle injury. Senior pacer Josh Hazlewood led the pace of the attack in the first game, and with rookie Aaron Hardie in the line-up, Australia can bank on the youngsters to do the job. Marnus made most of ‘an unlikely’ chance Marnus Labuschagne, the Test specialist, made the first ODI about himself without even making it into the playing XI in the first place. Coming on as a concussion substitute for injured Green, who got hit on the helmet by Kagiso Rabada, Marnus scored an unbeaten 80, helping his team chase a moderate total of 223. With this, Marnus pressed his case for an unlikely call-up to the side for his maiden 50-over World Cup. South Africa leads the five-match series 1-0, and the second game is scheduled in Bloemfontein on Saturday. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Australia rope in domestic giant for remainder of RSA ODIs as star players continue to recover ahead of CWC

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Champions Trophy 2025: Australia's Spencer Johnson dreams of replicating Mitchell Starc

AUS vs PAK, 2nd T20I: Spencer Johnson bags five as Australia beat Pakistan to seal series

Stoinis' replacement Aaron Hardie ruled out of New Zealand T20Is, Spencer Johnson added to squad

Australia rope in domestic giant for remainder of RSA ODIs as star players continue to recover ahead of CWC