Australia coach Tim Nielsen believes Mitchell Johnson will not be underdone entering the first Test in Cardiff.

Nielsen feels Johnson will not be underdone entering the first Test in Cardiff despite an indifferent performance in Worcester.

Johnson, playing his first match since Australia bowed out of the ICC World Twenty20 on June 8, conceded close to five runs an over in the tourists' four-day clash with the England Lions.

He returned the modest figures of one for 118 in the first innings but bounced back on the final day with two for 48 in a nine-over spell with the new ball.

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Nielsen said that spell showed Johnson was on track to continue the fine form he showed in South Africa when he led Australia to an unexpected series win.

Johnson will have one more major hit-out in the nets in Cardiff on Monday before the Ashes start on Wednesday.

"We certainly planned for him to be exactly where he is I suppose," Nielsen said.

With back-to-back Test matches to open the series, the Australians decided against playing their pace spearhead in both their tour games to avoid burnout.

"It's just as important he's going extremely well at the end of the first Test, butters up and goes extremely well at the end of the second Test as well," Nielsen said.

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"That's the balancing act we've had that last couple of weeks, to get some miles in the legs but make sure when the Test matches came around they were physically right and had their skills right."

Nielsen said Johnson improved on the final day, which saw him overcome the batsman-friendly conditions and claim the wickets of Lions openers Joe Denly and Stephen Moore, who made a century in the first innings.

"His pace was up, he was able to go over and around the wicket which is a good sign for his rhythm," he said.

"When he's able to do that and feel comfortable doing that he knows he's in a good place which is great. And he nicked out the bloke who got a hundred in the first innings. I thought he did a good job."