Australia’s Test squad have arrived in Sri Lanka and talk already has turned to the inability of their batsmen to prosper on spin-friendly surfaces.
Yet their frontline spinner, Nathan Lyon, also has plenty to prove on this three-Test tour, while his understudy Steve O’Keefe’s Test future could be decided over the next six weeks.
That may sound melodramatic, but unless O’Keefe shines in Sri Lanka he easily could find himself falling permanently back in the spin-pecking order. The 31-year-old left-arm tweaker never has been popular with the national selectors and now, for the first time in years, Australia’s spin stocks are looking relatively bright.
Fawad Ahmed continues to take bags of wickets in the Shield, the selectors have high regard for ultra-gifted 22-year-old Ashton Agar, and 24-year-old leg spinner Adam Zampa is running amok in short-form cricket.
Recent reports from journalists close to the Australian team have suggested that Zampa, in particular, is on the fast track to Test selection, despite a poor first-class record.
In the past ten weeks, Zampa has played 13 limited overs games – four ODIs, five IPL matches and four Caribbean Premier League fixtures. Across those matches he has returned the incredible figures of 32 wickets at an average of 14.
Zampa reportedly was in strong contention to make Australia’s 15-man Test squad for Sri Lanka, with O’Keefe narrowly edging him out for the second spinner spot.
Given how swiftly Zampa is ascending, O’Keefe cannot afford to underwhelm in Sri Lanka. With Lyon firmly entrenched as Australia’s number one Test spinner, opportunities for other tweakers are scarce. While O’Keefe should get a run against Sri Lanka on expected dry decks, after this series it seems unlikely Australia will play two spinners in a Test again until next February, in India.
By that stage, Zampa likely will have spent plenty more time under the noses of the selectors as Australia’s first choice spinner in both the ODI and T20 teams.
That is why O’Keefe’s Test future seems to rest on this upcoming series in Sri Lanka.
In his last Test appearance – the washed-out match against the West Indies at the SCG in January – O’Keefe bowled equally as well as Lyon in securing 3-63 from 27 overs. There is little doubt that both he and Lyon are fine bowlers in Australian conditions.
Now they must prove they can be effective on the subcontinent, after being pounded by the Pakistani batsmen the last time they teamed up in Asia, in late 2014.
Australia were slaughtered in that two-Test series on dull, parched UAE decks not too dissimilar to those which they will encounter in Sri Lanka.
Lyon and O’Keefe posed next to no threat, combining for series figures of 7-641 at almost four runs per over. The Pakistani batsmen either reached the pitch of the ball by advancing down the wicket or using the sweep shot, or moved back deep into their crease to cut and pull length deliveries.
A major reason the Pakistan batsmen mastered Lyon and O’Keefe with such ease was that the Australian spinners did not operate at the correct pace. On Australian surfaces, which typically offer good bounce and fast turn for spinners, tweakers can afford to bowl predominantly in the low 80 km/h range.
Asian decks, however, reward spinners who get the ball through the air quickly. While they offer more generous turn than Australian pitches, it is of the slow variety and so batsmen have time to play deliveries off the pitch unless the bowler hurries them through the air.
In Australia, spin bowling is about beating batsmen in the air with loop and drift. In Asia, it is more about pinning batsmen to the crease and then defeating them off the pitch.
Spinners who hurry the batsmen are more likely to be rewarded by the natural variations of bounce and turn afforded by Asian decks. Lyon and O’Keefe tended to bowl too slow in the UAE and it will be interesting to see how they adapt almost two years later in Sri Lanka.
It was in Sri Lanka that Lyon made his Test debut five years ago. He famously took a wicket with his first delivery, dismissing the legendary Kumar Sangakkara, and finished with 5-34 in the first innings.
From that innings forth, Lyon has laboured on Asian decks, taking 21 wickets at 60. He is, however, a far better bowler than he was two years ago – since the series in the UAE, Lyon has snared 80 Test wickets at 28.
His achievements in that period have been considerable. He grabbed a 12-wicket haul against India, had an impressive series in the Caribbean, was the second best bowler in last year’s Ashes after Stuart Broad, and played a vital role as Australia went 6-0 against New Zealand and the West Indies last summer.
Now Australia need him to prove his worth in Asia. While they should account for a weak Sri Lanka side in the upcoming series, Australia do not have a hope of being competitive in India next year unless Lyon flourishes.
At 28 years of age, the off spinner is approaching his peak. With 54 Tests and 195 wickets to his name, he now is an experienced cricketer. Over the next six weeks we will see just how far he has come as a bowler.
Andy Hill
Roar Pro
Ahmed didnt have a great second half of the last shield season and may actually struggle to keep his place in the Victorian team with Holland being the stand out spinner in the shield final and last few games of the shield season.
VivGilchrist
Guest
No, you're just one of the grumpiest posters I've ever read. Always so aggressive. Smell the roses.
Annoyedofit
Guest
Oh dear. Have i hurt your feelings with the perception that O'Keefe is actually rubbish?
steve
Guest
Yes, if it werent for his dodgy back Clarke could have been an exceptional all rounder, great bat, quality spinner, great fielder and a terrific captain.
armchair expert
Guest
Half joke aside Bush, when fit, I rated Clarke a better test spinner than Doherty and Beer ever were, and probably better than Agar when he played his tests, the numbers would probably back me up on that.
Joel
Roar Rookie
It would be interesting to know if O'Keefe has a lopsided wicket tally at the SCG. I really have a hard time believing that any player has inflated batting or bowling averages because of a home ground advantage in shield cricket, particularly when NSW play a fair amount of games away from the SCG as home games.
The Bush
Roar Guru
Adelaide as well, fair enough, it's such an odd concept that we choose multiple squads during the one summer... Perhaps it wasn't that Clarke didn't like him, but instead thought to himself "we don't need a left arm spinner, I've got that covered".... Only half joking there mind you... While Smith is obviously in the form of his life with the bat and seems to have the respect and perhaps even loyalty/backing of his players, I haven't seen any of the inspired captaincy that we got under Clarke, in the mould of Tubby. Smith may end up being a more Steve Waugh style captain - leading by example, getting the team to play hard, relentless cricket, but not necessarily having that spark of magic that can turn a game by a simple fielding change, bowling change or declaration. Mind you if our batsmen fulfil their talent and the bowlers keep on producing, Smith might have a similar golden generation to Waugh and we'll be set...
VivGilchrist
Guest
Don't argue with annoyedofit.... he's grumpy enough already.
Annoyedofit
Guest
"O'Keefe has taken all of his limited chances". Those are your words. They're also not true. He's convinced no-one that he's an international level spinner.
Simon
Guest
Hasn't Ahmed been the top wicket taker over the last 2 SS seasons? O'Keefe has a good average but I think playing at the SCG and his role in the team exaggerate them. I hope he does well but it'd be a shame is Ahmed never plays a Test
Mike Dugg
Roar Rookie
In 3 innings of 2 tests. So we shouldve dropped Warne after a couple of tests as well? Okeefe isn't as good as Warnie but Steve can only do what he can in limited oppuritnities. Which he has done in out bowling Lyon in those 3 innings. You want Zampa with the average of 50 or expensive Ahmed? Hehe
armchair expert
Guest
Bush, SOK was in the last squads for the Adelaide and Sydney tests, maybe it's a coincidence he's in all these squads "out of the blue", but I suspect not. As for captaincy nous with Smith, time will tell, that's a separate issue to selections.
Annoyedofit
Guest
O'Keefe with the average of 40. Nah. It appears the fanclub have come out of the woodwork
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
"I’d love to see Zampa be the stand out spinner in a shield season first, though." Absolutely agree. Zampa is on track to be a star in limited overs cricket but he has a long way to go as a red ball spinner. I'm excited to see how Zampa will go in the Shield this season on the back of all the confidence he must have gained excelling for Australia and in the IPL and CPL (he did well again last night, taking 2-30). But Zampa and Agar are still developing players, rather than ready-made Test spinners, which is why it's so crucial for Australia that O'Keefe flourishes in SL. Australia will need a second spinner to play alongside Lyon in the Tests in India and neither Zampa nor Agar look ready for such a huge challenge at this stage.
The Bush
Roar Guru
Four squads? Really? West Indies, this one and the cancelled Bangladesh one? Was there another? Whether we accept that Clarke didn't like him or not, all the current selectors are doing is picking spinners on spinning decks. Remember Clarke wasn't a selector for the last two years. Besides, so far Smith hasn't shown half the captaincy nous with his use of spin that Clarke had...
craig swanson
Guest
I agree about SOK.. deliver or your career is over. Despite his impressive domestic numbers SOK has been given very few chances in the Baggy Green. Now he has the chance to cement the second spinner spot for India with a good display here. SOK is a far improved bowler than his early days when he was accused of bowling "nudies" that is balls with nothing on them. These days he varies his pace, gives the ball more air and is very accurate. He still does not turn it much though, which could go against him in Sri Lanka. Still he deserves his chance and must now make the most of it on what are expected to be favorable conditions.
Joel
Roar Rookie
When you talk about guys proving their worth in shield and earning their selection, O'Keefe is a guy that has done that. Zampa so far hasn't had a good time of it in shield, and if i'm being honest I think a leg spinner needs to be able to turn the ball in test cricket.
armchair expert
Guest
SOK appears to be "on a hiding to nothing", if he takes wickets the "usual suspects" will say "so he should", if he fails they'll say "I told you so", as for the comment he "has never been popular with national selectors", I'll rephrase that to "he was never popular with the previous captain", since Smith became captain less than a year ago SOK has been selected in 4 test squads, compared to 1 in the previous 5 years, since he started being the best shield spinner, despite his shield performance last season being the same.
Sideline Comm.
Guest
I'll remember this if we f it up, Spruce.
Mike Dugg
Guest
Zampa and Agar need to actually take wickets regularly for their state before they can be considered. O'Keefe has outbowled Lyon for NSW and in both tests he has played. In the recent sub continental A tour, O'Keefe racked up the wickets there too. I don't think he has much to worry about. Ahmed is far too expensive. Ronan neglects to mention that O'Keefe in the UAE tour played only one of the two tests taking 4 of those 7 wickets. So that means Lyon took one less wicket even though he played an extra test. Lyon is the one with a lot to prove. O'Keefe has taken all of his limited opportunities so far.