Johnson's return a decade in the making

Australia A’s upcoming tour of the United Kingdom will be a welcome return to the scene of cherished teenage memories for Queensland and Brisbane Heat allrounder Sammy-Jo Johnson.

The right-arm quick was just 17 years old when she travelled to England for a season of county cricket, a time that remains among the highlights of her time in the sport.

That experience was the result of a chance encounter with former Australia batsman Michael Bevan and the parents of an Australian legend: a teenaged Johnson dismissed Bevan in a charity match on the NSW North Coast, a moment witnessed by Stan and June Gilchrist – fellow Lismore residents and the parents of Adam.

The next year, they sent Johnson an email, offering her a scholarship to play a season of cricket in England, an arrangement that covered flights and set her up with a club and a host family. Her mother Teena held fundraisers and raised money through local sponsors to cover the rest of the trip.

While there, Johnson formed close friendships – which remain to this day – took 60 wickets and scored her first hundred.

It’s taken the best part of a decade, but Johnson is now finally making her way back to the UK, where she’ll be part of the ‘A’ squad that will play a series of 50-over and 20-over matches against England and an England Academy side, while also taking on England in a three-day red-ball warm-up match ahead of the Ashes Test.

"I was stoked, I was just so excited when I found out," Johnson, now 26, told cricket.com.au this week.

"I played a season in Cumbria as 17-year-old kid still in high school. Now nearly 10 years later, I’m a bit older and wiser and have a bit more cricket under my belt, so I’m looking forward to getting over there and seeing how I do."

Johnson has already made contact with her English friends to ensure she’ll have some familiar faces and support in the crowd throughout the series, while she's also relishing the thought of once again plying her wares with the ball on English wickets.

This Australia A call-up follows Johnson’s inclusion in the ‘A’ team that toured India late last year, and is apt reward following a breakout summer. Johnson starred with both bat and ball in the Rebel WBBL and in the 50-over WNCL, playing a key role in helping the Heat take out their first Big Bash title, while Queensland finished runners-up in the WNCL.

It was in the 20-over game that the 26-year-old attracted the most attention, capturing 20 wickets at 17.95 while also striking 260 runs at a strike rate of 139.78.

The wealth of English talent in the WBBL means there’ll be plenty of familiar opponents over the coming weeks, starting with their senior squad in a 50-over match that looms as Heather Knight’s team’s final hit-out before the start of the women’s Ashes.

"It’ll be a really competitive series,” Johnson said.

"We’re pretty familiar with some of the faces we’ll come up against in those games, they’re world-class players so they’ll be really competitive."

Playing the three-day warm-up against England is a first for Johnson given the dearth of long-form cricket in the women's game, but having played years of two-day cricket in men’s club competitions, she will have that experience to draw on when it comes to the red ball and bowling lengthy spells.

"I’m keen to play a bit more longer format, especially bowling, because it just gives you a little bit more time and overs under your belt so you can try and set-up a batter," she said.

"Tactically it’s a really cool game to play, so I’m really looking forward to it."

The concurrent nature of the women’s Ashes and the ‘A’ tour means there’s always a chance that if injury should strike the senior Australian squad, an international call-up could be in the offing.

It’s something Johnson admits she can’t help but have in the back of her mind – while wishing no ill to any of the Australian attack – and it’s an added driver to excel on this tour.

"If it’s not spoken about, you’d be silly if you didn’t think about it," she said.

"For me it’s a childhood dream to play for Australia and there is the thought that if something did happen, you’re in pole position to take a spot in that team.

"You never wish anyone would get injured, but these things can happen in sport. They’re a pretty strong side and I don’t think you’ll see too many changes, but if something happened and (any of us) got to put our hand up to play for our country, we’d take it with both hands."

CommBank Australia A Tour of England

Australia A squad: Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns, Maddy Darke, Josie Dooley, Heather Graham, Sammy-Jo Johnson, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Georgia Redmayne, Molly Strano, Rachel Trenaman, Belinda Vakarewa, Amanda-Jade Wellington

Warm-up match

June 29: England v Australia A, Loughborough

One-day matches

July 3: England Women’s Academy v Australia, Loughborough

July 5: England Women’s Academy v Australia, Loughborough

July 8: England Women’s Academy v Australia, Loughborough

Three-day tour match

July 12-14: England v Australia A, Millfield School, Street

20-over matches

July 17: England Women’s Academy v Australia, Millfield School, Street

July 19: England Women’s Academy v Australia, Millfield School, Street