Qadir's strange debut, young guns firing and finally some respect for spin

The domestic One Day tournament enters its final round tomorrow and already it has thrown up a host of intriguing stories. Here are some of the key talking points from the JLT Cup to date.

The strange story of Usman Qadir
Yesterday a 25-year-old leg spinner took 3 for 50 for WA against Victoria on their Australian domestic debut. Typically this would be an unremarkable story except that, in this case, the wrist spinner was a foreigner and the son of one of Pakistan’s all-time great cricketers, leg spinner Abdul Qadir.

Qadir played first-class, List A and T20 cricket in Pakistan up until four years ago before giving up on playing for Pakistan and applying for Australian citizenship. His lofty aim now is to represent Australia in the 2020 World T20 tournament, which will be held down under in just over two years from now.

He made the first step towards that goal earlier this month when he was signed by the Perth Scorchers for the upcoming Big Bash League as cover for lead spinner Ashton Agar, who may miss matches due to international commitments.

With Agar having this week flown to the UAE to join Australia’s squad for the upcoming Tests against Pakistan, WA decided to hand a debut to Qadir in the JLT Cup.

WA captain Ashton Turner showed great confidence in Qadir, bringing him on during the Power Play after just nine overs. Qadir struck immediately, firing in a flatter, wider delivery when he saw the advance of Cameron White, who was out stumped.

The spinner took two more wickets, including the caught behind dismissal of 18-year-old batsman Mackenzie Harvey from a wrong ‘un, which was his father’s trademark delivery.

With Agar set to be absent for the next five weeks, Qadir may also get a chance to make his Sheffield Shield debut when that competition begins on October 16.

Uzman Qadir of Western Australia (AAP Image/Daniel Pockett)

Young guns are flying
Last week I wrote about five teenagers making a splash in the JLT Cup – all-rounders Will Sutherland (18), Jack Edwards (18) and Cameron Green (19), leg spinner Tom O’Connell (18), and opening batsman Max Bryant (19).

Those rookies have continued to impress since then. On Tuesday Bryant went ballistic against a South Australia attack featuring four bowlers who have played for Australia, smashing 71 from 32 balls. His Australian under-19 opening partner Jack Edwards shone on the same day as he hammered 68 from 50 balls against Tasmania.

Meanwhile, O’Connell is the leading spin wicket taker in the tournament to date, with eight wickets at 25, and Sutherland has also taken eight wickets at the lower average of 17.

Green has bowled very well for WA, taking four wickets at 21 and being one of the most frugal bowlers in the tournament, conceding only 4.5 runs per over.

It’s not just the teenagers excelling, but also a host of other young players. This includes 23-year-old Tasmanian batsman Ben McDermott (201 runs at 67), 24-year-old Queensland quick Mark Steketee (nine wickets at 18), 21-year-old WA opening batsman Josh Philippe (144 runs at 48) and 23-year-old batsmen Sam Heazlett (120 runs at 40) and Jake Weatherald (110 runs at 55).

While none of these players are likely to feature in the upcoming World Cup, one or more of them may well find themselves getting an ODI debut in the wake of that tournament as Australia look to experiment with new players.

Spin it to win
Australia have long lacked respect for the key role of spin in limited overs cricket, but there is a sense that could be changing after they played two specialist tweakers in their two most recent ODIs.

In that series in England, the world’s number one ODI team found it much harder to score off Australia’s spinners. Ashton Agar and Nathan Lyon combined to concede just 5.1 runs per over, compared to Australia’s seamers who were hammered at 6.9rpo.

Nathan Lyon. (AFP / Jekesai Nijikizana)

If that didn’t convince the selectors to invest more heavily in spin ahead of next year’s World Cup, then what’s unfolded so far in the JLT Cup should.

In this tournament, specialist spinners have taken 30 wickets at 30 compared to 118 wickets at 31 for the frontline quicks. The key difference has been in economy rates, with the quicks going at just under six runs per over compared to only 5.3rpo for the spinners.

With the World Cup to be played in England, where 350-plus totals are common due to ultra-flat pitches and tiny grounds, the economy of Australia’s bowlers will be crucial.

The JLT Cup is providing further evidence that Australia should trial fielding two specialist spinners in ODIs in the coming months as preparation for that tournament.