Leg spinners Adam Zampa and Fawad Ahmed look to be competing to make their Test debuts against Sri Lanka next week after Steve O’Keefe suffered a hamstring injury yesterday.
O’Keefe had bowled beautifully in the first Test, with figures of 3-74, before he pulled up in his follow through during the 49th over and went off the field for the rest of the day.
It was confirmed as a right hamstring injury, according to cricket.com.au
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Given how tricky hamstring injuries tend to be, it is difficult to see him playing in the second Test which starts in six days’ time in Galle. The Galle pitch is known to assist spinners and in the last Test at the ground Sri Lankan tweaker Rangana Herath took ten wickets as his side beat the West Indies by an innings.
So it seems likely Australia will want to field two specialist spinners, meaning they would need to fly in a replacement for O’Keefe. Zampa and Ahmed would seem to be the leading candidates.
If Australia wanted a like-for-like replacement then their only option would be 29-year-old Victorian John Holland.
Holland played only two matches last Sheffield Shield season, both at the end of the campaign, but he was very impressive, taking 14 wickets at 20. He has struggled to get regular appearances for Victoria in recent seasons partly because of injury and partly because of the presence of Ahmed.
Ahmed was the leading wicket taker among spinners in the Sheffield Shield last season, with 27 wickets at an average of 33. Across the past three Shield seasons he has snared 96 wickets at 29. Ahmed was picked ahead of O’Keefe for Australia’s Test tour of the Caribbean last year but has since fallen back in the pecking order.
Two things counts against Ahmed – firstly that he is 34 years old and secondly that he has not played a match in four months. Meanwhile, 24-year-old Zampa has been playing non-stop in that same period, moving from the T20 World Cup to the IPL, to the ODI tri-series in the Caribbean, and on the Caribbean Premier League.
Media reports in May suggested Zampa was very close to making the original Test squad for this tour of Sri Lanka, so it would be no surprise were he to be flown in as cover for O’Keefe.
Zampa took just ten wickets at 45 from five Shield games last summer and has a wretched first class record of 53 wickets at 51. He has, however, been in dazzling touch with the white ball, taking 24 wickets at an average of 13 across his last 13 matches in the IPL and CPL.
Crucially, Zampa also has had the advantage of being under the nose of the national selectors in recent months, having cemented himself as Australia’s first choice spinner in both the ODI and T20 teams.
As much as his control and variation, it has been the unflappable nature and robust self-confidence Zampa has displayed which have made him so appealing. The young South Australian has appeared to be on the fast track to Test selection and O’Keefe’s injury may well have just provided the pathway.
But, as much as he has excited in limited overs cricket, there is no evidence yet that Zampa is suited to the longest format. In T20s and ODIs batsmen are obliged to attack Zampa, which is a difficult task due to his admirable control and clever variations.
Test cricket, however, would place the onus on Zampa to make things happen. It poses an altogether different challenge and one which he is yet to overcome with any regularity in Shield cricket.
Ahmed, by comparison, has a proven track record of being a high quality red ball spinner in first class cricket. That might not be enough, though, to overcome the hype that has built around Zampa. Next week we may well get to see whether the young leggie has the chops for Test cricket.
ak
Roar Guru
First test going Sri Lanka's way
Andy Hill
Roar Pro
So your a comedian now too. Well done. Ha ha. Everyone is laughing.
Nudge
Guest
Problem for Fawad Camo, is that the 2 tours he was selected for, one in the windies and one in England, in the lead up matches he apparently went to water. Was bowling full tosses and long hops 2 to 3 times an over. Apparently just lost the plot. Had woeful figures. He's made himself unpickable now.
Camo McD
Roar Guru
Agreed, feel sad for Fawad who has put together several excellent shield seasons and has been overlooked for a guy who has played only a handful of decent FC games in nearly a decade for Vic. Fawad should have made the XI in at least one of the tests in Windies last year but I suspect when he was left out the writing was on the wall, perhaps Lehmann and co don't rate him.
bearfax
Guest
I dont think Craig is suggesting Lyon isnt a good bowler. All he is saying is that with O'Keefe off he needed to take on more responsibility. And arguing that he had more wickets than O'keefe, it is actually the first time he has. And Mendis stated that he was pleased when O'Keefe couldnt bowl any more because it took the shackles off. Its important to note that O'Keefe consistently keeps the scoring down, his runs per over testify to that. Had he stayed Australia would probably have had a far easier task of dismissing the Sri Lankans with two spin bowlers bowling in totally different manners
Bakkies
Guest
Not a lot of batting left despite 7 wickets left in the hut. Time for Marsh and Nevill to pull finger. Has Nevill even got a test 50 yet? He can keep well but he has contributed next to nothing with the bat.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Alright diddums, I believe you. Enjoy your Nostradamus moment.
Andy Hill
Roar Pro
We can't all be watching for news updates every 10 minutes Paul. How about keeping your comments to the cricket mate.
Brains of a bimbo (Atgm)
Guest
If smith nd warner flop then 196 is enough
DingoGray
Roar Guru
I wonder how selectors come to these decisions at time. Holland played 2 Shield games this last season. He wasn't good enough to be the 1st spinner chosen for his state and he's not the 2nd best spinner in the country? Absolutely having a lend they are! How Ahmed, Boyce & Zampa are all over looked for this bloke is crazy!
Paul D
Roar Guru
That's a 'brave' prediction, given Cricket Australia just said Holland got the nod around 10 mins ago on their facebook page. In other news I think Turnbull is a cert to win the election in July.
Andy Hill
Roar Pro
Surely it has to be Holland. Given he was recently selected for the Australia A team ahead of Ahmed I reckon the selectors, quite rightly, have him ahead in the pecking order. His performances for Victoria late in the season including the shield final were fantastic and he is a like for like replacement of O'Keefe.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Well picked nudge, it is Holland they've gone with.
Annoyedofit
Guest
As usual the detractors come out of hiding. O'Keefe has taken 2 less wickets than Lyon but any excuses eh? 200 wickets seems to suggest the selectors got this right
Craig Swanson
Guest
With SOK's injury Lyon needed to stand up big time yesterday. He did not. He did not build enough pressure. Of his 26 over only 2 were maidens. We need a spinner who can bowl us to victory when the chips are down and conditions are in their favor.. Nathan Lyon is not that bowler.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
What a great innings by the Kus. I hope our boys fight it out and cover themselves in competence, if not glory, in the chase. For the replacement I think Ahmed but who knows.
Ajay
Guest
Dingo, you have taken my words. Can't see Australia winning unless Warner fires a ton or Smith does the same. Rest are walking back to the hut against Herath especially.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Missy is dour? My god the irish set a high standard for entertaining.
Craig Swanson
Guest
Like your optimism Tanmoy. I see it differently. We saw yesterday how the ball broke the surface often, so with added sunshine this deck could turn into a dusty minefield. Then we will be in trouble against their fine spin attack if we are chasing as many as 300.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Haha a lot!