Big boots to fill as Johnson takes Starc's new-ball role

It wasn't quite Mitchell Starc castling Brendon McCullum at the outset of a World Cup final, but Spencer Johnson's first-over strike in yesterday's low-key ODI against Sri Lanka was a significant moment in itself.

In his third 50-over outing in Australia colours, left-armer Johnson angled his fifth delivery across Sri Lanka's Test opener Pathum Nissanka whose airy drive yielded a fine edge scooped up by wicketkeeper Alex Carey.

After 96 fruitless balls sent down in his previous pair of ODIs against India (at Indore in 2023) and Pakistan (in Perth last November) it was the 29-year-old's first wicket in the format.

But more symbolically, he had made the sort of early breakthrough for which Starc has become renowned and which Australia are hoping Johnson might replicate as he fills the new-ball strike-weapon role in the upcoming Champions Trophy in Pakistan.

Johnson acknowledges it would be risible to expect he can imitate the impact of Starc – absent from the ICC tournament due to personal reasons – who has captured more than 700 international wickets across all three formats in a fabled 15-year international career.

In addition to collecting two ODI World Cup-winners medallions, a World Test Championship title and T20 World Cup win, Starc has earned a unique place in cricket history for the number of times he's bagged a breakthrough in his opening over.

However, if his start to yesterday's ODI at Premadasa Stadium – the first of two games against Sri Lanka in what is effectively a warm-up for the tournament in Pakistan – is instructive, then Johnson might just slip adequately if not quite comfortably into Starc's bowling boots.

"It's obviously something I've pictured in my mind, to come in and play a similar role to him (Starc)," Johnson said after finishing with 2-44 from seven overs in Australia's 49-run loss to Sri Lanka.

"There were a few nerves there, and obviously big shoes to fill but I'm better for the run.

"It's only my third ODI so hopefully a few more, and hopefully I can replicate some of the stuff he's done."

Johnson has already filled in as Starc's understudy, albeit in an off-field role when he was asked to act as his fellow fast bowler's body double during the filming of a television commercial on salt plains in outback Western Australia.

And while Johnson has relied more on the sharp bounce he generates at bowling speeds around 145kph than Starc's trademark vicious yorker, like his much-admired role model he can demonstrably extract swing from a new ball.

As a result, he expects to take the same blueprint that Starc has operated from so successfully over more than a decade and pitch the ball full in order to target the stumps in the unashamed hunt for early wickets.

It worked for Johnson yesterday as he removed Nissanka and then Sri Lanka's top-ranked Test batter Kamindu Mendis – caught at forward square leg trying to whip a ball off his pads – in his initial four-over spell.

"Guys like Trent Boult and 'Starcy', and being aggressive is what hopefully what I can bring to Pakistan," Johnson said of the job he'll be expected to perform at the top of a radically reshaped Australia pace bowling outfit for the Champions Trophy.

"Across all formats, it's a pretty similar thing in what I do and what my role is.

"Obviously four overs (in T20 cricket) versus 10 overs is a little bit different, but the way I sequence my overs is pretty similar.

"I feel like I'm ready to play for Australia and I've had a little bit of a taste in T20 cricket (eight games for Australia) and now a couple of ODIs.

"So heading to Pakistan it's exciting and I'm ready to go."

It's not just Starc who will be sorely missed from Australia's pace line-up as they attempt to win the Champions Trophy for the first time since 2009.

Also absent will be captain Pat Cummins (ankle), fellow quick Josh Hazlewood (hip), and seam bowling allrounders Mitchell Marsh (back) and Marcus Stoinis who announced his shock retirement from ODI cricket last week.

Between them, that quintet accounts for 475 ODI appearances for Australia with a combined aggregate of 630 wickets and an array of tournament and series successes.

By contrast, the seamers Australia will take to Pakistan from this weekend – Johnson, Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Ben Dwarshuis and allrounder Aaron Hardie – can claim just 52 ODIs experience in total, for a sum of 56 wickets.

However, Johnson sees opportunity where others sense vulnerability and pointed to Ellis who was Australia's stand-out seamer yesterday as the ball got older and Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka changed the game with a memorable 127 from 126 balls.

"It's exciting to see Nathan Ellis, who probably hasn't played a lot for Australia," Johnson said when asked how the greenhorn bowling unit was coming together ahead of its first major collective challenge.

"We saw today he probably led the attack and … he's probably going to lead the attack in Pakistan.

"It's exciting for all of us, and they're big shoes to fill.

"I think this wicket (at Colombo's Premadasa Stadium) is not what we're going to get over in Pakistan.

"It was nice to bowl on early with the new ball, and there was a bit of nip and carry.

"But (Pakistan) will be different to what we got here, potentially a bit flatter."

Johnson isn't sure if he'll get another gallop in Australia's second ODI against Sri Lanka on Friday, or if selectors will change the bowling line up to give players such as Dwarshuis and leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha match time before they fly to Lahore on Saturday.

He also revealed he's not received any tips or tricks from Starc who is a master of bowling in Asia, where his strike rate of a breakthrough every 28.37 deliveries is the best of any Australia bowler to have claimed 25 or more ODI wickets in the region.

And while Johnson could be excused for thinking he and his fellow members of the new-look one-day bowling outfit are merely warming the seats until the 'big three' return, he believes the coming weeks represent a chance for him to become a regular selection option.

"I think it is in my hands really," he said.

"If I perform, then I'll be around … but it's up to performances."

Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka

First ODI: Sri Lanka won by 49 runs

Second ODI: February 14, Colombo (3:30pm AEDT)

Australia squad: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Spencer Johnson, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matt Short, Adam Zampa

Sri Lanka squad: Charith Asalanka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Nishan Madushka, Nuwanidu Fernando, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Jeffrey Vandersay, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Mohamed Shiraz, Eshan Malinga