Johnson to miss SA T20 series

Cape Town - Cricket Australia’s National Selection Panel has advised that Mitchell Johnson will return home to Australia to rest ahead of the ICC World Twenty20 in Bangladesh and will not take part in the Twenty20 Series against South Africa beginning on Sunday.

All-rounder Moises Henriques will stay on in South Africa as a replacement for Johnson.

Coach Darren Lehmann said: “Mitch has had a very long summer and we think he will benefit from returning home for a few days of rest with his family where he can freshen up. He will link back up with the squad in Bangladesh ahead the ICC World Twenty20.”

Australia’s first match of the ICC World Twenty20 is against Pakistan in Dhaka on March 23.

The schedule for the three-match T20 series is as follows:

March 9, First T20, St George's Park - 14:30
March 12, Second T20, Kingsmead - 18:00
March 14, Third T20, Centurion - 18:00