Let me begin by declaring from the outset that I’m a big admirer of Queensland leg spinner Mitchell Swepson and have long wondered if he might be the one to emerge from the pack of young spinners around Australia who haven’t exactly smashed down the door to take up a position as Nathan Lyon’s understudy.
If his inclusion on the tour of India back in 2017 came a touch early, his call-up for the Sydney Test is both well-timed and well-deserved. His performances for Queensland and Brisbane in the BBL have been strong, and only the currently injured Stephen O’Keefe can top him for first-class wickets taken this summer.
Most of my observations of him this season have been limited to highlight clips and the Big Bash, but he does look to be bowling with a little bit more air on the ball and possibly bowling a little slower through the air too, thus maximising his impact off the wicket.
He’s long been a big prospect, but now his time looks to be very close.
But it doesn’t have to be this weekend in Sydney, and it certainly doesn’t need to come at the expense of a very well-performed fast bowler just for the hell of blooding a young player.
(Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
And it’s great that Swepson has been working with Shane Warne in various capacities over time, most notably during the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, with Swepson called into the Australian squad early to begin preparations for Sydney.
Warne’s commentary on the technical aspects of leg spin has always been captivating, with his lunchtime masterclass with Afghanistan’s No. 1 Twenty20 leggie Rashid Khan last weekend an absolute highlight. In fact most of Warne’s technical commentary around the game has always been well-informed.
It’s only when he starts on team make-up and selection that he starts veering toward nonsense and showing that as a selector Warnie made for a pretty handy lower-order batsman.
If there’s a failing of Australia’s greatest ever bowler, it’s his propensity to overhype young players. And the worst of it is that because his opinion is so highly regarded, Warne plumping for a young player becomes news, which in turn becomes selection pressure. And in extreme cases – remember Michael Beer? – selection pressure becomes actual selection.
D’Arcy Short was a favourite who Warne wanted playing all three formats for Australia but who in reality has found the transition from Big Bash cricket to regular state cricket difficult, never mind his appearances in national colours. And let’s not even get started about Marcus Stoinis.
Last season it was Tasmanian quick Riley Meredith, who is still firmly at front of mind, with Warne this season even declaring that he’s sure the lanky Hobart Hurricanes speedster will play for Australia in the next 12 months. And he may well, but he’ll have to be bowling a lot better than he’s showing on national television at the moment.
Though Warne has sung the praises of every young leg spinner to show some promise at some point, he has been pretty consistent with his raps on Swepson, even playing some role in his 2017 tour party selection.
Unsurprisingly, upon Swepson’s call-up for Sydney Warne was quick to declare him ready for Test Cricket, ready to be Australia’s second spinner should the SCG wicket warrant it. Or maybe just play him, even.
“Just give him a chance, somehow find a spot for him or even give Nathan Lyon a rest,” Warne said in commentary last week.
Which of course was reported how it was reported: Warne suggests resting Lyon to play Swepson in Sydney.
Which he did suggest. And which completely contradicted his blow-ups during The Ashes, when he was particularly critical of the decision to rest James Pattinson from the second Test after he played the first at Edgbaston.
But the great leg spinner didn’t like this inevitable reporting, taking to Twitter to try and hose down the reporting which just reported what he suggested, to which Lyon himself cleverly retorted, “Did Warnie ever want a rest and give Stuart MacGill a go?”.
Here’s what Warne said.
“We know how great Nathan Lyon is and he’s not going to give up a Test match, but what an opportunity maybe to rest a quickie with some stuff going on and India coming up for some one-dayers,” he said in commentary for Fox Sports.
“Maybe play Swepson and play two spinners and give him a go at it and see how he goes against New Zealand or a decent side. Just give him a chance, somehow find a spot for him, or even give Nathan Lyon a rest.”
Warne also explained how from his own experiences he got so much out his early selection, even admitting, “I didn’t think I was ready for Test cricket, I didn’t think I was good enough,” but that being exposed to the national setup over time allowed him to become comfortable.
Less than 12 months after his debut and with still only five Test wickets to his name he took that 7-52 against the West Indies in the second innings in Melbourne that propelled him to cricket stardom.
And though there has been plenty of reporting around over the last few days that Australia are “considering playing two spinners in Sydney”, Justin Langer himself seemed to pour cold water on that idea, declaring with confirmation Josh Hazlewood would be fit to play, that the idea of changing a winning side looking for a 3-0 clean sweep was probably unlikely.
“It’s going to be hard to make changes,” Langer said on Wednesday in Sydney.
“That said, I think it’s really important that we wait because we’ve seen it in the Shield games, the groundsman’s telling us he’s expecting it to spin, so we have to show that some respect as well.
“But the boys are playing so well. We’ve talked about keeping the same group together as much as possible.”
And that is a welcome return to common sense.
If the Sydney wicket is going to spin over the next few days and the Australians are comfortable with Swepson playing – and Langer gave him huge praise for the way he’s trained and handled himself since joining the squad – then play him as the second spinner.
If not, keep him around the group and keep building the experience and the comfort levels.
Because there is plenty of time for Swepson to play.
Over the next 18 months Australia play three Tests in Bangladesh, ODIs and T20s in South Africa, New Zealand, England and at home against the West Indies and India before the World T20 in October-November.
They host Afghanistan and India for Tests and New Zealand for ODIs next summer and head to the Caribbean after the World Test Championship final in June 2021.
There is no shortage of opportunity to get Swepson’s flying miles up.
So don’t shoehorn him into the team for Sydney if the conditions don’t warrant two specialist spinners.
Making him work for it and even earn it can only help the Queenslander in the long run.
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
:laughing: whatev's
Pierro
Roar Rookie
what like pattinson last test? he took a bag there because the ground suited him but less here. Spinners wicket here , massive turner. no doubt swepson could take just as many actually and wed have go through them quicker with two spinners easily . labs hardly even bowled here which is strange from paine . Cummins as great as always on any surface. Kiwi batting has been really poor too lyon got some donations , lets not forget they have five subs in and are pretty poor when you think the new kid who made 50 was dropped twice and also out on a no ball . thing is if we play swepson its probably a quicker kiwi capitulation, similar result for me no loss and valuable experience to the player. Opportunity missed. this pitch is a raging turner now, if theres any change to my thinking its having seen the pitch two spinners could have easily played here and problem solved and quicker win, of course you and I can’t see the pitch pre game like langer and co can.
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
How did Lyon go? 4 last innings wickets at the MCG, 5 in the first at the SCG. That's why you don't rotate players.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
All very well as an opinion in hindsight of past players, which I would be happy to debate anytime by the way, but can't for the life of me see how that relates to this summer. Every batsman in the top seven has produced a 70 or better in the last 10 Tests and every bowler has contributed to bowling sides out. The team has risen from 4/5 to 2 on the back of the competition created for spots and you'd know as well as I, the number of batsmen to go thru the 6 in the last twelve months in an attempt to find the best fit, plus the rotation for bowlers who're on record as saying they didn't agree with it and wanted to ride their form and secure their place in the team. The selectors and coaches have copped some criticism for decisions of late, but it's a long bow for critics to see complacency in a side on the rise.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
most three ashes right.. shouldn't have been captain. Warne would have set better fields despite his outspoken antics off field he would have made a great onfield captain
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
No, just poor.
Brett McKay
Expert
Chris, I mean that Warne comments that just make no sense dont seem to get the scrutiny they should. It's almost accepted that he'll say something outlandish, because thats his personality. Can't think of too many other commentator afforded that same latitude..
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
Ok I'll bite, even thpugh I know arguing with you is an A-grade waste of time. Swepsons total first class average is over 40 mate. Pitches are juicer this year due to a crowd revolt so it doesn't matter what the last 5 years tracks were like. Murali averaged over 60 in Australia, spinners struggle full stop, Lyon is world class, a finger spinner and wouldn't you know it, from Sydney, plays for the Blues on occasion, so you would be dropping him from his home test, hence....stupid. You don't run your stock horse in the cup when you have Makybe Diva in the sheds man, Swepsons no elite talent, he's just another pie chucker and at test level WILL get pumped. But hey, let's just drop our second best spinner ever......smart, maybe we could drop Smith as well, he's not in great touch.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
As have so many commentators, bloggers and keyboard warriors. Warnie's however are always dismissed with allusions to his character. There are so many horrible comments about Warnie made by people who must have never seen a mirror. By all means, challenge what he says, maybe even try to argue against, but why this insistence on besmirching him as a person? I don't get this defence of people who do that.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
I don't know about him being held to a higher standard. In fact, it's probably exactly the opposite. The point is not to somehow believe that everything he says must be paid attention to because of who he is, as he mixes saying really good things with real bonehead things, and everything in between. Not sure what about any of my comments could really be considered petty. Some of his time in commentary has been really bad, especially when largely surrounded by a group of commentators who were largely guys he played with. And he's made lots and lots of extremely questionable selection calls, really pushing for guys who often had no place being even considered.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
It's a good position to be in, having an attack where we are considering leaving one of the top 10 ranked test bowlers out of the team when he comes back from injury. If Richardson can get back to his best post shoulder injury, then that will be 5 really top quality test bowling options who would all just about walk into any test lineup in the world but no more than 3 can get picked at any one time.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Lets make a deal you don’t comment subjectively and debate facts reasonably . Once again no facts from you just subjective. Go on admit lyons average of 46 at scg is a poor one. you can do it. deal in facts.
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
Paragraphs would be nice. Got about half way down your rant and stopped reading. Let's make a deal, you don't bore me with your rubbish and I won't enlighten you with my wisdom. Kapeesh.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
For grumblers, perhaps. You'd have to ask why it's so important for you to do it though.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
I would but , id assure lyon he’s the number 1 spinner and id be starting him at brisbane, perth, adelaide every day of the week as it stands . Let me remind you though lyon was ineffective against india at mcg last year on home soil and has an average of 46 at scg. This is a wounded NZ we are playing and pakistan were really poor. Swespon has played well this summer in shield. I think the key is this is a dead rubber, we have the series won, kiwis are five players out, we’ve won the series and this kid needs experience for future away tours and is the lead second candidate given okeefe is getting on and we the huge winter long subcontinent tour is 2022 with limited chances for swepson to play. I think people have got worked up about this test and aus could win with swepson or lyon bowling to be honest . I don’t think swespon would disgrace himself if the scg average to beat from lyon is 46 which aint great . Its not so much about having a go at lyon although his average at mcg an scg is pretty poor to be honest.
Paul
Roar Guru
so you'd drop Lyon to bring in a bloke to give him a game? If I was Lyon, I'd be totally insulted. You simply don't drop a bloke who a) is the best spinner we've got and b) is in very good form, just to give a complete unknown at Test level a game.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
my point was pattinson should have been rotated regardless at melbourne and it worked with or without the injury to hazel wood. stop talking rubbish brendan. My point was also little risk in rotating swepson in here and had the best shield average this year going in to match. Pitches also have different conditions. players have different averages on them. Plenty of examples where it works . Worked in england at times and didn’t rotate starc in when we needed him there.. I’ve no problem quoting lyon having poorer averages at mcg and scg. Its true. Theres no lie about it. 46 av for lyon at scg is poor , or don’t you think thats poor? “paying members of the public ” would like to see pattinson get multiple wickets and also don’t mind seeing a newcomer get experience in a series already won. NZ have five out today. stop talking gibberish you can’t handle correct alternative opinions getting subjective as usual brendan. Calm down and have a cup of tea. There are also players who still have question marks against them. Burns being one of them against mediocre opposition this summer. We have more challenging series ahead . Happy to keep talking about rotation where there are facts to support it, striving for the best outcomes and future for australia. pattinson at mcg, siddle at edbaston , starc at manchester. marsh at oval. Labsuchange coming in at lords could have played earlier for me. Thank god for an steve smith copping one against archer as it got labs in the side and look what he’s done. Yep stick with the same team all the time brendan. Heavens for bid if they “rotated” labuchagne in. Plenty of valid rotation examples. cue the subjective assault from brendan without facts as usual. “go for it” brendan
Sinclair Whitbourne
Roar Rookie
DTM said it for me. I have in mind periods in the past where 'form is temporary but class is permanent' seemed to rule the day and that can leave you with a big hole when time is finally called on a player/players. It is about balance - too much instability is very damaging (we saw that in recent times) but so can periods of ossification be damaging; players past their best holding others out and putting the side under pressure; arguably, the last 12 months of Mark Taylor's career (although a wonderful player and probably the best captain I have seen), at least the same with Mark Waugh, arguably the same with Allan Border and Steve Waugh etc. To be clear, I think new players need to be given time to find their feet and I don't support dropping established players the moment they have a couple of bad innings, but when someone's average starts to fall away badly over 5-6 innings' or more, you need to be careful about stifling development if there is someone pushing hard for selection.
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
Seriously bro, get off the rotation rubbish, you were on another thread vehemently arguing that Lyon should be dropped for Swepson at the MCG and SCG and now you want to rotate the fast bowlers for no apparent reason. It doesn't work, it didn't work when they did it last time, it's not going to work now. Rotation destroys confidence, it breaks continuity and the players hate it, not to mention the PAYING members of the public that want to see the best Australian team on the park when they fork their hard earned out. Cue inevitable justification essay from Pierro where he completely writes off any other suggestion than his own, go for it.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
our best number 3 post war era. Average to poor captain though