Ever since Shane Warne played his last Test, in January 2007, and Stuart MacGill finished his Test career, in June 2008, Australia has been longing for a good leg spinner. And at last, Adam Zampa has surfaced.
The 24-year-old has been great to watch, with good loop, good turn either way, and tremendous accuracy.
He has bowled the most overs for the Australians during the tri-nations in the Caribbean, and taken the most wickets. Mighty impressive when the two opponents are South Africa and the West Indies.
In four games, two against South Africa and two against the Windies, he’s bowled 32.3 overs and taken nine wickets at 19.33 apiece.
Dirt cheap.
Of his 195 deliveries, Zampa has managed 105 dot balls against powerhouse batsmen for 54 per cent of his deliveries scoreless.
He’s only been collared once in four outings.
It was during the last game, against the Windies, when Marlon Samuels climbed into him with three successive sixes from the first three deliveries off the 40th over. He was run out by David Warner next ball.
But throughout those 32.3 overs, Zampa was struck for only seven boundaries, and eight sixes with Denesh Ramdin, Kieron Pollard and Darren Bravo responsible for the three sixes on top of Samuels’ three.
Still very impressive.
Zampa’s only played six ODIs for a dozen wickets at 23, and six T20s for five wickets at 23.60.
Again, very impressive, but still to make his Test debut, which will be sooner than later.
So the Australians, as world champions and ranked world number one, have won two and lost two so far – one of each against South Africa and the Windies.
Interestingly, Australia’s two losses have been when speedster Mitchell Starc was rested, rotated, or whatever – he was missing.
In the two wins, Starc’s figures were 2-37 against the Windies, and 3-43 against South Africa.
Also clear is that when Warner fails or is missing, invariably Australia lose. And it’s happened again in the Caribbean.
With his 55 not out, Australia beat the Windies, but he scored just one when Australia lost to South Africa. He cracked 109 and Australian beat South Africa, and after he broke his index finger and missed the second Windies game, Australia lost.
Also, when will Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell repay the selectors’ faith in them?
Marsh is averaging 14.33 with the bat in the Caribbean, and a massive 105 with the ball.
Maxwell is averaging a pitiful 1.50 with the bat, and just six with the ball, having bowled five overs in taking 3-18 – that doesn’t make him an international off-spinner.
In spite of all the above, it’s high time for the Australians to start playing like the world champions, and live up to the world number one ranking.
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