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Boland ahead of Zampa in ODI team is a joke

(AAP Image/SNPA, John Cowpland)
Expert
25th June, 2016
21

Scott Boland has averaged of 73 with the ball in his ten limited overs matches for Australia.

Yet, somehow, he’s keeping rampantly in-form leg spinner Adam Zampa out of the ODI side.

Surely this cannot be the case for today’s tri-series final against the West Indies in Bridgetown. The fact Boland is even in the Australian limited overs setup is baffling, considering his modest domestic record in the shorter formats – bowling averages of 36 in List A cricket and 28 in T20s.

It boggles the mind that Zampa was omitted so Boland could take the field. In Australia’s last match in this tri-series, the West Indies selected two specialist spinners, Sunil Narine and Sulieman Benn.

That pair were the Windies’ two best bowlers, proving hard to get away as they conceded just 4.8 runs per over from their 20 overs, compared to 6.3 runs per over from the 30 overs of pace.

Meanwhile, Australia went into that match without a specialist spinner, and resorted to bowling rank part-time tweaker Aaron Finch. The selectors decided to drop or rest or rotate or rejuvenate Zampa in order to let Boland keep his spot. The Victorian seamer gave up seven runs per over from his ten-over spell and, yet again, did not look in the same league as his Australian pace colleagues.

Boland was a shock selection to make his ODI and T20 debuts last summer, and even came close to earning a Test berth. His performances in first-class cricket this past summer were brilliant, and justify him being in the frame to don the baggy green.

But he looks a long way short of being an international limited overs bowler. Boland’s control is not impressive, nor are his variations. He does not swing the ball consistently, or operate at high pace. His sole attribute is his ability to extract lift from the pitch.

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Not once, in his 10 matches for Australia, has he looked truly comfortable at the highest level. Boland appears well out of his depth and, at 27 years old, he hardly is a project player. The same cannot be said of Zampa who, at 24 years old, is an infant in wrist spin terms, and who has absolutely thrived on the greater challenge and pressure of international cricket.

In his 12 limited overs appearances, Zampa has snared 17 wickets at a fantastic average of 23.

Even with Mitchell Starc back in the team, Zampa still has been Australia’s leading wicket taker for the tournament, with nine wickets at 19 from four games, compared to Starc’s eight wickets at 17 from four games.

Zampa is, in my opinion, the most exciting limited overs player to emerge for Australia since Starc debuted almost six years ago. He looks capable of being a match-winning spinner in the shorter formats, something Australia have not had since Brad Hogg played his last ODI in 2008.

Australia have remained a dominant team in those past eight years despite continually having a major weakness in their spin stocks. With a world-class spinner in their team – something Zampa can become, and quite quickly – they could go to another level in the coming years.

So why waste time sitting Zampa on the sidelines in favour of a player in Boland who never looks likely to succeed in coloured clothing for Australia? Stand-in Australian coach Justin Langer told the media Zampa was dropped because “Marlon Samuels thrives on spin bowling”.

Then Samuels went ahead and made 125 against a pace-dominated Australian attack in their last match. The West Indian veteran had hit Zampa for four sixes in their previous encounter. But, amid his figures of 2-60, the leg spinner also took the crucial wickets of well-set batsmen Darren Bravo (39) and Johnson Charles (48).

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The Australian selectors must back in Zampa and come to peace with the risk-reward balance that comes with wrist spinners. The young leggie has shown a mouth-watering ability to take wickets in the middle overs of ODIs, something every team covets from their spinners.

The selectors must accept that, every now and then, a batsman will get after him like Samuels did. That acceptance needs to start today, with the reinstatement of Zampa to the Australian XI for the tri-series final. Zampa has shown time and again that he is a fiercely self-assured young man.

He would relish the challenge of Samuels and co. coming after him today.

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