Back injury rules Johnson out

Promising XXXX Queensland Bulls left-arm paceman Mitchell Johnson will miss the next two months of the 2001-2002 season after it was confirmed today that he has a stress fracture in his back.

The Queensland selectors today named allrounder James Hopes as Johnson's replacement for the Pura Cup match against NSW starting on Sunday at the Gabba, with a decision on 12th man duties to be left until match day.

Hopes made his first class debut in the Bulls most recent Pura Cup match against the Western Warriors at the WACA.

Scans last night revealed Johnson had a stress fracture in his right L3 vertebrae, an injury unrelated to the previous stress fracture he suffered during his time at the Commonwealth Bank Cricket Academy.

Queensland Cricket medical officer Dr Simon Carter said today that Johnson could be fit to resume bowling towards the end of the season and could be able to playing as a batsman in club cricket in approximately six to eight weeks.

"The scans revealed a new injury but also confirmed his previous stress fracture was fine," Dr Carter said. "Mitchell underwent a degree of correction to his bowling action to return from his previous injury and obviously the coaching and medical staff will review all aspects of that before we embark on his next period of rehabilitation."

Johnson, who was bitterly disappointed at the news, said today he would draw solace from the fact that he was facing a situation that generations of fast bowlers had encountered and overcame.

"Having had a taste of bowling with the Bulls this season, I reckon I will be even more fired-up to do well when I get back," he said.

"I know that fast bowlers have to deal with these sort of injuries and having seen Dennis Lillee and Brett Lee overcome them so successfully gives me plenty of inspiration. I've been rapt with the experience of playing for Queensland and I'll be keen to do everything I can to get back."

Johnson joins swing bowler Adam Dale as the Bulls long-term bowling casualties, with Dale not expected back until late in the season following shoulder surgery earlier this month. On a positive note, Bulls paceman Scott Muller, who missed last season with a knee injury and has been hampered again by knee problems so far this season, hopes to make a return to bowling in club cricket next month.

Meanwhile NSW will arrive late this afternoon and will train tomorrow at the Gabba from 10.30am to 12pm.

The opening day of the Pura Cup match will be the Pura Milk Dollar Day, with entry $1 and all patrons eligible for a $1 pie and a $1 coke.

XXXX Queensland Bulls v NSW Blues, Pura Cup, The Gabba, Sunday through Wednesday: Stuart Law (c), Jimmy Maher, Jerry Cassell, Martin Love, Clinton Perren, Andrew Symonds, James Hopes, Wade Seccombe, Ashley Noffke, Michael Kasprowicz, Joe Dawes, James Hopes, Nathan Hauritz (12th man to be named).

NSW Blues: Shane Lee (c), Michael Slater, Greg Mail, Michael Bevan, Michael Clarke, Mark Higgs, Brad Haddin, Stuart MacGill, Anthony Clark, Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Don Nash (12th man to be named).