adjoining field. From 1968 to 1971, Johnson was a player in the Malvern XI and was its captain in 1971. He played for the All-England Schools senior and junior (Under-16s) teams. He was also a member of Malvern's soccer first XI in the 1969 to 1970 season and the rackets first pair in the 1970 to 1971 season. Cricketing career Johnson batted left-handed and bowled orthodox slow left-arm spin. From 1969 onwards, he played several Second XI matches for Worcestershire County Cricket Club in his summer holidays. In 1971, he played in two games for the Northamptonshire County Cricket Club seconds. In 1972, he topped the batting averages for the Young England Under-19 cricket team on a tour of the West Indies. He scored a total of 438 runs with an average of 62.57. In his four seasons at Worcestershire, Johnson won runners-up medals in the 1972 John Player League and the 1973 Benson & Hedges Cup. In 1974, the Worcestershire team, which included Imran Khan, won the County Championship. First-class cricket debut In June 1972, at age 18, Johnson made his first-class debut for Worcestershire in a drawn match against Oxford University. Johnson took the wickets of Michael Heal and Barry May in Oxford's only innings and made 7 and then 1 not out. He was retained for the County Championship match against Warwickshire County Cricket Club, taking 0 for 28 in eight overs in a match that was rained off. In July 1972, Johnson took 7 for 57 for the Second XI against Warwickshire II and then was recalled to the firsts, where he remained for six games, three at first-class and three in List A. In a John Player League one-day match, Johnson took two vital wickets, allowing Worcestershire to beat Nottinghamshire by 38 runs. On 17 July 1972, the Daily Telegraph front page read "Johnson Wrecks Notts". Worcestershire placed second in the league that year. Young England tour of West Indies Johnson spent the remainder of the 1972 season on a tour of the West Indies with the England Under-19 cricket team. He topped the batting averages in the junior test matches. He scored 438 runs, including a century and three half-centuries, at an average of 62.57. He was the only Young England player to score a century on the tour. In Jamaica, Johnson scored 110 not out at Jarrett Park and 74 at Sabina Park.