Johnson, who turned 17 this week, has previously played for Gordon in the Sydney Cricket Association Women’s Competition on Sundays.

At the start of the 2011-12 season, with her Higher School Certificate studies looming, Johnson made a decision.

“Because I’m in Year 12 this year, I was getting home late on Sunday nights from Sydney, I thought I would switch to Canberra because they play on Saturdays,” Johnson explained.

She joined with Eastlake in the ACT Women’s competition and was immediately identified as someone who was a candidate for the ACT Under 18s side.

Johnson wasn’t able to trial for the state team because she had her gallbladder out a month ago, but her talent had already spoken and she was selected for the national championships.

It has been a month since her surgery and she’s back on track and ready for the challenge the national championships will deliver.

“I’m excited. It should be a good experience,” she smiled.

The all-rounder said she wasn’t sure how ACT was expected to perform at the championships but there is one team she’s keen to beat.

“NSW because I know all those girls,” she laughed.

Johnson will go to Canberra tomorrow for a three-day camp with the state team.

On Tuesday the team flies to Melbourne and the national championships begin in Ballarat on Wednesday.

ACT will take on state teams from NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia and Tasmania in a mixture of one-day and Twenty20 matches.

Johnson, a right-arm fast bowler and right-hand bat, is expected to play a key role in the ACT side.

“I’m hoping to be in the top order and then I should be second or third drop bowler,” she said.

“That will be good because I’ll get a good go at both.”

Amazingly, the ACT side only includes two Canberra-based players.

Cowra’s Nicole Stevenson is also in the ACT side along with Trundle’s Pip Taylor and Cobar’s Taylor Gilbert.

In Wednesday’s opening match the ACT will go up against Victoria in a one-day game.