Sammy-Jo Johnson to pursue drag racing and becoming a mechanic after calling time on WBBL and state career
Thunder, NSW allrounder Johnson bows out on top
Sydney Thunder and NSW allrounder Sammy-Jo Johnson has called time on her decorated 14-year career, signing off in style after helping the state lift the Ruth Preddey Cup in her final game.
Johnson announced her retirement from elite cricket this afternoon after 127 WBBL matches for Brisbane Heat and the Thunder, and 86 Women's National Cricket League games for Queensland and NSW.
The last of those was for her native state (NSW) where she claimed two wickets in the WNCL final to help deny her former team (Queensland) the title – adding the 50-over silverware to her three WBBL winners' medals.
Hailing from Lismore in northern NSW, Johnson rose through the NSW underage pathways before relocating to Queensland where she made her WNCL debut in 2011.
After a successful stint in Queensland, including back-to-back Big Bash championships with the Heat in WBBL|04 and |05, she returned to NSW in 2020-21 to join the Breakers and Thunder ahead of WBBL|06.
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The move home was marked by immediate success, with the Thunder claiming the WBBL|06 championship, making it a hat-trick of trophies for the seam-bowling allrounder.
Johnson finishes her career with 109 WBBL wickets at 23.95 (53 with the Heat and 58 for the Thunder), also amassing 962 runs with a top score of 52 not out.
Her feats weren't limited to Australian shores either, playing eight matches for Trent Rockets in the 2021 Hundred tournament, notching 120 runs and collecting 15 wickets at 10.26, which included her career-best T20 figures of 4-15 against Northern Superchargers.
In the WNCL, she finishes with 103 wickets at 27.14 (64 for NSW and 39 for Queensland) and 1079 runs. Her best WNCL bowling figures came earlier this year, when she took 4-40 against the ACT in February.
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The 32-year-old also captained NSW on 17 occasions.
Johnson said she was excited for the next chapter and pursing interests outside of cricket such as drag racing.
"Becoming a mechanic has always been a dream of mine, and now I'll be one step closer to moving into that full-time," she said.
"I'm also looking forward to spending more time with family and friends, and of course, racing at Sydney Dragway.
"I'm incredibly grateful to Cricket NSW for the pathways they provided me as a junior. The underage and school programs were vital to my development and set me up for senior cricket.
"I do have to thank Queensland for the opportunity they afforded me to debut in WNCL and WBBL, but wearing the Baggy Blue was always the dream.
"To finish my career with a WNCL title is unbelievable, but what means even more is seeing the growth in this group over the last five years. Being part of the team that brought Ruth home, is something I will always cherish and be proud of."
Leah Poulton, Cricket NSW head of female elite cricket, said Johnson leaves a lasting impact on both the NSW and Thunder squads.
"Her leadership, consistency and all-round ability have set a high standard for those who follow in her footsteps," she said.