IT never rains but it pours. There was little prospect of play at Chester-le-Street today and Durham were dealt a further blow with the news that Mitchell Johnson has been recalled to the Australian squad.
He will not be available to take up his Twenty20 contract with Durham as the Australians’ one-day matches in England and Ireland start on June 21 and end on July 10. Durham’s T20 matches run from June 15-July 8.
Johnson has been out of action since suffering severe ligament damage in a foot after being struck while batting in a Test match in South Africa last November.
National selector John Inverarity said: “Johnson is in strong contention for the ICC World Twenty20 and needs to be in the set-up and have some quality competitive cricket leading into that.”
Durham’s other big-money T20 signing, Herschelle Gibbs, has been unable to play for Mumbai in the IPL because of a finger injury.
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