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Justin Langer suffers ugly start as Spencer Johnson lights up cricket world in IPL

The former Aussie coach didn't get off to the best of starts.

Riley Morgan
·Sports Reporter
·4-min read

Justin Langer's first major coaching role since leaving the Australian national team did not get off to the best of starts, while emerging superstar Spencer Johnson has only further pressed his T20 World Cup claims. Langer returned to the cricket coaching scene having taken over the Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League.

Langer has a number of superstars in the team, including Aussie Marcus Stoinis, South African Quinton de Kock and a very strong Indian contingent including KL Rahul. However, his first game did not go to plan after the talented outfit lost by 20 runs to the Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur after a lacklustre run chase.

Justin Langer (pictured right) suffered a loss in his first game in charge of the Lucknow Giants, while Spencer Johnson (pictured left) was pivotal with the ball for the Titans. (Images: Indian Premier League/Getty Images)
Justin Langer (pictured right) suffered a loss in his first game in charge of the Lucknow Giants, while Spencer Johnson (pictured left) was pivotal with the ball for the Titans. (Images: Indian Premier League/Getty Images)

The Royals posted a formidable 4-193 after captain Sanju Samson was able to bat throughout all 20 overs to steady the innings. He finished on 82 not out. But Langer's side struggled in the run chase with no batter ever firing. De Kock and Devdutt Padikkal were dismissed cheaply with New Zealand quick Trent Boult doing the damage as the away side slumped to 3-11 in 3.1 overs. Stoinis was dismissed cheaply as well.

West Indian Nicholas Pooran's 64 not out and skipper KL Rahul's 58 off 44 balls proving not enough as they finished on 6-173. Langer joked before the season: "I will have sleepless nights in fitting so much talent in just 11 slots". Although those sleepless nights might come sooner with the Giants starting with a grim loss. While Langer may have been disappointed with his introduction to the lucrative tournament, Johnson enjoyed a brilliant start.

Spencer Johnson shines in Indian Premier League debut

Gujarat left the cricket world stunned last year when they signed Johnson for $1.78 million following the tall quick's debut season in the Big Bash League. And the 28-year-old repaid his fortune having delivered in the second last over to help Gujarat defeat the Mumbai Indians in a close clash.

The Mumbai Indians were trying to chase down Gujarat's 6-186. Johnson came on in the 10th over and endured a nightmare first six balls. Dewald Brevis (46) and before India captain Rohit Sharma (43) blasted him to the boundary as he went for 17.

Spencer Johnson celebrates.
Spencer Johnson (pictured middle) celebrates with teammates. (PUNIT PARANJPE via Getty Images)

The game went down to the wire as Mumbai needed 27 off the last two overs with five wickets in hand. And young captain Shubman Gill risked backed Spencer with the second last over.

Johnson looked in for a long night when Tilak Varma smashed him for six. However, the Aussie stormed back. Johnson dismissed Varma - who was caught in the deep - before following it up with a caught-and-bowled off a mistimed pull by Gerald Coetzee.

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The over went for just eight runs, which allowed Gujarat to secure the match in the next over. "To have the backing from him and everyone else, even after going for runs in my first over, it's pretty cool," Johnson said in his post-match intervew. "This is easily the biggest crowd I've played in front of, I've always wanted to play cricket in india - and here I am. I hope we can keep winning."

Johnson also praised Gill, who is the captain at just 24, for backing him before his debut. "Shubman is unbelievable. He sat next to me on the bus trip, he was calming me. We talked through the game. As a young captain, he's unbelievable," Johnson added.