The veteran Australian spinner, Adam Zampa has withdrawn from the next Sheffield Shield game against Western Australia after being embroiled in a controversy between Cricket New South Wales (NSW) and Cricket Australia (CA).
The controversy erupted after Zampa was picked over Tanveer Sangha for NSW’s Shield game against Tasmania. It was Zampa’s first Sheffield Shield appearance since February 2023 and he also doesn’t train with NSW team, as he lives in Byron Bay.
Adam Zampa finished with figures of 4/140 from 40.2 overs across two innings in the game, as NSW by 55 runs.
According to the NSW board director and selector Stuart Clark, they were forced to choose Zampa in the XI, on the orders of CA. The development arose with the board allegedly trying Zampa to get sufficient game time ahead of the tour to Sri Lanka early next year.
However, CA clarified on the matter and stated that the selection of the XI rests entirely at the hands of the state associations. Instead, they asked NSW if it was their decision to include Zampa in the team, otherwise he would have represented PM XI in their two-day fixture against India in Canberra.
Amid discussions, NSW issued an apology to the leg-spinner, which he accepted. However, Zampa has decided to skip NSW’s game, but expressed his desire to be a part of Australia’s team for the Sri Lanka tour.
According to Zampa, he received a positive response from Chairman of the Australian Men’s Cricket Team selection panel, George Bailey about his chances of making his maiden test appearance.
Adam Zampa is ready for red-ball challenge
Featuring in over 200 white-ball (106 ODIs + 95 T20Is) games for Australia, Adam Zampa has not yet made his Test debut. However, the selectors are leaning towards him for an all-important Sri Lanka tour, which will be crucial for Australia’s WTC qualification. The surface will also witness assistance to the spinners.
Zampa feels he is now more confident about doing well with the red-ball and can read the batters better. He doesn’t want to have any regret of not trying enough to play Test cricket for the country.
“It [Test cricket] is something I’d like to do and challenge myself at. If I got to end my career and it didn’t pan out that way then I’d be okay with it. I might look back one day and feel like maybe I didn’t give it a 100% crack. I feel like playing these games and putting my hand up for the Sri Lanka tour and being keen, for that is fine,” Zampa was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
FAQs
How many first-class wickets does Adam Zampa have?
115 wickets in 41 games
When did Adam Zampa’s make his first-class debut?
2012
