A couple of seasons ago, an exasperated Jason Gillespie simply had enough of his tall, talented left-arm paceman.
The South Australia coach and former Test quick decided to give a dressing down to Spencer Johnson, a strapping 6 foot 4 lad with wavy blonde hair and a tan who looked like he had spent too much time on those famed golden beaches the country is known for.
Perhaps he had been. “You like being a professional cricketer and like wearing the tracksuit,” Gillespie, a legendary Test paceman, said when confronting Johnson. “But your actions don’t marry up to your ambition.”
Johnson had made his debut for South Australia in 2017, but a slew of injuries and an apparent lack of desire had seen his career enter the crossroads within five years.
“It’s been an eight-year period for him. He’s had a lot of downs and battles, but…