Left-arm fast will be available for the first eight matches
of the Blast group stage.
Surrey has recruited Spencer Johnson, an Australian fast bowler, for the first
eight Vitality Blast matches.
The left-arm, who did not make Australia's T20 World Cup roster, is no
stranger to south London, having played for the Oval Invincibles last summer.
He took five wickets for Invincibles during their victorious 2023 season,
including an amazing 3 for 1 off 20 deliveries against Manchester Originals. He
presently plays for Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League.
Johnson's signing comes as Surrey attempts to improve their Blast team, who will
be missing four players for the T20 World Cup, with Sam Curran, Will Jacks,
Chris Jordan, and Reece Topley nominated by England. They were also given a
setback in March when Australian allrounder Aaron Hardie was pulled from three months to manage his workload. Johnson will join Sean Abbott as an abroad option, with a maximum of three in the squad and two in the XI.
"I'm very excited to join Surrey and I have some fantastic memories from
playing at the Kia Oval last year," Johnson stated. "Surrey has a
great squad and I can't wait to contribute with the ball in front of the packed-out crowds in south London."
Surrey's director of men's cricket, Alec Stewart, stated,
"Spencer is a highly talented cricketer who has demonstrated his abilities
in white-ball cricket at the highest levels." He will strengthen our
bowling unit for the first portion of the group stages when four of our
players are abroad at the World Cup with England."
Despite missing out on international selection for next month's World Cup in
the Caribbean and the United States, Johnson remains one of the most
sought-after players in the T20 circuit. Despite having set a basic price of
AU$90,000 (USD60,000), Titans offered him a contract worth AU$1.78 million
(USD1.175 million) for this year's IPL.
After the T20 Blast, he will play for the LA Knight Riders in Major League Cricket before returning to The Oval for his Hundred spell with the Invincibles. He may also add to his six international caps after the English summer when Australia visits for three T20Is and five ODIs. Johnson is not centrally contracted with Cricket Australia, thus the board has no control over his domestic activities.
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