Has the new wunderkind of Australian cricket arrived? Because 23-year-old leg spinner Adam Zampa looks right at home in the Australian team.
Zampa’s figures in his first two one-day internationals – 2/57 and 1/45 – don’t tell the full story of how well the young leggie bowled.
Zampa sent down ten straight overs in the second ODI, with his game of cat and mouse against premier New Zealand batsmen Kane Williamson and Martin Guptill the highlight of the match.
The Kiwis’ powerful batting line up tried to attack the young spinner, but his control and subtle variations frustrated the home side and brought about many false shots.
His first two wickets were almost identical, with the batsmen trying to be aggressive and hit him over the top, only to be deceived in flight and hit the ball straight to mid on.
While Zampa doesn’t spin the ball as much as the great Shane Warne or Stuart MacGill, he has great control, bowls few bad balls, and keeps batsmen under pressure.
Playing first-class cricket for New South Wales before moving to South Australia, Zampa has had time to perfect his craft, preparing him for his shot at the big time.
The tag of ‘the next Warne’ has been a burden on every Aussie spinner since the great man retired, but Zampa is a different creature to the rest. He has an air of confidence, and appears to relish the hype.
The game needs young stars with swagger and a bit of attitude, like Zampa and Glen Maxwell, they are the cricketers that young fans relate to and idolise.
T20 cricket brought young fans to the game, players like Adam Zampa will keep them coming back.
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