Left-arm Agar part of rare Test club

ASHTON Agar may never have heard of Big Jack Saunders but suddenly he is on his tail.

There’s not many soft targets in Australian cricket records.

We’ve had iconic fast bowlers, the game’s best leg-spinner, a champion modern day off-spinner and a galaxy of wicket-keeping greats.

But there’s one type of champion Australia is yet to produce – a left-arm spinner.

Agar, likely to play his fifth Test and first at home today, won’t have to do a lot to zoom up the wicket-taker’s list for Australia’s left-arm slow bowlers.

The most successful is the invisible man of Australia’s record holders, Victorian Jack Saunders, who died at age 51 in Toorak in 1927 after a 14-Test career reaped him 79 wickets.

Australia’s true decks have been unkind to the slow men, so those who put extra zip on the ball by rolling it over their wrists like Shane Warne, Bill O’Reilly and Richie Benaud have often done best.

And it’s why Nathan Lyon’s career as a right arm finger spinner is so extraordinary.

Agar is a smart player who should do well on an old-fashioned dry, patchy SCG surface that should break up.

Australia’s left-arm spinners have been a colourful lot. Saunders himself was a striking figure and old photos have him looking distinguished with a moustache curled up at both ends. Left-arm wrist spinner Chuck Fleetwood-Smith went from being a debonair member of Melbourne’s high society to a down-and-outer.

For all of Australia’s struggles, other countries have unearthed some fine left-arm tweakers.

New Zealand had the longserving Dan Vettori, England the probing Derek Underwood and India the loose-limbed genius Bishan Bedi.

When asked why this was Australia’s short suit Vettori said recently: “Obviously there hasn’t been the opportunity for someone to stand up with the likes of Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill then Nathan Lyon.

“I don’t think there is any special reason. It is more the case that other options have been some of the best ever.’’