State selector slams cricket Australia after Adam Zampa's directive leaves Prospect out in the cold

Adam is a highly experienced cricketer who is a great addition to our group. Cricket NSW head of cricket performance Greg Mail had told the media when the state side selected Zampa for their Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania.

It was an interesting choice. Zampa, one of Australia's greatest limited-overs cricketers, is yet to play a Test match and had so far taken just 111 wickets from 40 first-class matches, the last of which came in 2022-23. Zampa took 3-96 and 1-44 on his comeback (his bowling average in the format is 46.56), but NSW lost the match.

To accommodate Zampa, NSW had to leave out 23-year-old leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha, whose 12 first-class matches have earned him 34 wickets at 36.29, although, to be fair, Sangha was wicketless in his last Sheffield Shield match, against South -Australia.

Stuart Clark: CA's comments make no sense

In conversation with abc.net.auClark made his thoughts on Zampa's selection clear: When it came to Adam Zampa, we didn't have a discussion because we didn't have to. We were told he had to play.

Adam Zampa pushed for Test selection in Australia's upcoming tour of Sri Lanka and returned to NSW.

It was the legspinner's first Sheffield Shield match since February 2023, but critics questioned why he was picked ahead of Tanveer Sangha.

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ABC SPORT (@abcsport) November 30, 2024

I don't understand what Cricket Australia's comment is. We didn't have to have a robust debate about his selection. It was forgiven [sic] conclusion that he was on the team. I don't know where this comment comes from. We do not understand this, because what we were told and what appears in the press is exactly the opposite. They don't make sense.”

The comment Clark is referring to is that made by Cricket Australia high-performance manager Ben Oliver two days ago, where he said: “Ultimately, selection for any Sheffield Shield or domestic match is very much the domain of the state association,” implying that no directive had been issued to NSW.

So either we, the selectors, got it wrong, I don't know, we got it wrong, but it's pretty clear to me that we've been getting messages that he should be in the team,” Clark added.

I'm not saying he wouldn't have been on the team. We haven't had that discussion. We have Tanveer Sangha and we have other spinners in the squad. We didn't have to talk about it because the decision had already been made.

Calling Zampa a world-class white-ball bowler, Clark highlighted what he expected from the world champion leg-spinner if he wanted a first-class cricket career: If we wanted to be part of the four-day format, then [he] He should probably be around and come to training, play a bit of cricket, that sort of thing.

He is a quality bowler. There is no reason why he cannot be successful over a period of time. From my point of view, if he wants to play, it's a matter for Adam to let the people at Cricket Australia know. He has a contract with them. The message will flow down what they think. Then we can consider him when we pick a team, instead of putting him on it.

Zampa on Test cricket: It's something I'd like to do

The New South Wales selection saga comes amid rumors Zampa could be in line for a surprise Test debut during Australia's tour of Sri Lanka early next year.

Zampa himself is looking forward to the challenge and hopes to get “miles in his legs” before possibly receiving a red ball. “It's something I want to do and challenge myself,” he said a few days ago. “If I had to end my career and it didn't turn out that way, I would be fine with that.

“Maybe one day I'll look back and feel like maybe I didn't give it 100 percent. I feel like playing these matches and putting my hand up for the Sri Lanka tour and feeling like that is fine.

“It's important when I'm on that tour that I get some miles in my legs and it's not a huge shock to the system because it was Sunday (November 24).”

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