Neil Johnson

Who is Neil Johnson?

Neil Clarkson Johnson is a former cricketer who played 13 Tests and 48 One Day Internationals for Zimbabwe between 1998 and 2000.

An allrounder, he bowled right arm fast medium and played in the middle order as an aggressive left-handed batsman. He usually opened the batting in One Day cricket.

Throughout his first-class career he spent time in both South Africa and England, playing for Boland, Eastern Province, Natal, Western Province, Leicestershire and Hampshire.

Johnson was influential in Zimbabwe's qualification to the Super 6 stage of the 1999 World Cup. He won three Man-of-the-Match awards in the tournament. One of those awards came in his side's surprise victory over eventual Semi Finalists South Africa. Opening the batting, he top scored with 76 before dismissing Gary Kirsten with the first ball of the South African chase. He then got rid of Jacques Kallis for a duck and finished with 3 for 27. In the same tournament, he made an unbeaten 132 and took 2/43 against the eventual champions Australia at Lord's. Johnson is notable for having opened both the batting and bowling for his country in this World Cup.

After the 2000 tour of England, Johnson retired from international cricket as a result of disputes over his payment from the Zimbabwe Cricket Union. He moved to South Africa, a country that he had lived in as a child.