Spencer Johnson: From greenskeeper to Australia’s Baggy Green?

As recently as three years ago Spencer Johnson was working as a greenskeeper in Australia, supplementing his income as he recovered from a nightmare spell with injuries. Doctors had doubts over whether he would even be able to run again. Fast forward to the present day and he has just been called up for Australia’s T20 matches against South Africa, with a place at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup still a possibility should a compatriot sustain an injury. He joins Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Sunil Gupta to share his story and hopes for the future. Having played in the inaugural Major League Cricket series in America, could a stint in the Indian Premier League be on the cards?

The team react to England men’s Test captain Ben Stokes’ decision to end his one-day international retirement and play for the reigning champions at the World Cup later this year. We also discuss the impact of his return on Harry Brook, who has been left out of the England squad for their matches against New Zealand as a result of Stokes’ inclusion.

Plus, we learn about the man with the highest first-class batting average in cricket history. Norman Callaway played one match for New South Wales in 1915 and scored 207 runs, but he went to fight in World War I shortly after and died in battle at the age of 21. Australian historian Ross McMullin has told Callaway’s story in his book ‘Life So Full of Promise: further biographies of Australia’s lost generation’, and he joins us to share more details about his life.

Image: LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 15: Spencer Johnson of Oval Invincibles in action during The Hundred match between Oval Invincibles Men and London Spirit Men at The Kia Oval on August 15, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Davidson - ECB/ECB via Getty Images)