WARNE MITCH PITCH
Aussie great says Bulls leg spinner should face the Kiwis Black Caps set to get Boult back
CRICKET:
Australian great Shane Warne has called on Test selectors to pick uncapped Mitchell Swepson as a second spin option during the series against New Zealand.
Warne declared Swepson the nation’s next best spin-bowling option behind established star Nathan Lyon and said the pair could play together in the third Test in Sydney.
Warne’s call comes amid growing concern for the lack of depth of Australia’s spin stocks, with 14 tweakers used at Test level since Warne’s retirement in 2007.
Only Lyon and fellow offspinner Nathan Hauritz have managed to spend significant amounts of time in the Australian team since the Victorian leg-spin legend’s career came to an end.
There is currently no clear second option behind Lyon.
Warne tipped Swepson to make his Test debut within six months and implored selectors to consider the 26-year-old leg spinner sooner rather than later.
“Swepson, to me, has elevated himself already this year,” Warne said.
“If something happened to Nathan Lyon, I think Mitchell Swepson would probably come into the side.
“No disrespect to (Ashton) Agar and all those guys. Those guys could come in and they’d do a very good job.
“But I’d like to see us pick a wrist spinner, an attacking option, not a safe option with a finger spinner.”
Swepson, who has one T20 international appearance under his belt, has taken 12 wickets at 26.58 in four Sheffield Shield matches for Queensland this season.
His record includes impressive match figures of 7-92 in a win over Victoria at the MCG in November and 2-107 against NSW at the SCG this month.
Veteran former Test left-armer Steve O’Keefe (NSW) is the only spin bowler with more Shield wickets (14 at 18.42) than Swepson this season.
Warne said it was up to state selectors to ensure the next wave of spin bowlers were given opportunities to develop into capable Test players.
“If anything happens to Nathan Lyon we’re in real trouble because he’s so good, but I think we’ve got to look at these next spinners,” he said.
Lyon is the only spin bowler named in Australia’s squad for the Boxing Day Test against the Black Caps at the MCG.
Meanwhile, Warne says recalling Peter Siddle for the Boxing Day Test would be a backward step for Australia.
Australia are searching for at least one extra quick, with Josh Hazlewood (hamstring) battling to be fit for the Sydney Test next month.
James Pattinson and Michael Neser are already in the squad.
“I’m a big fan of Peter Siddle, he’s done a great job, he’s a good guy to have around the group and he’s still doing really well for Victoria,” Warne said.
“But for me I think it’s a step backwards if you go to Peter Siddle, even if it’s just a stopgap sort of thing.
“This is the perfect opportunity, you’re one-nil up in the series, you’re playing well, it’s a great opportunity to get someone in the side, and I think Pattinson’s one of the top few bowlers in Australia anyway.
“I’d get Pattinson straight in.”
CRICKET:
New Zealand are set to be boosted by the return of Trent Boult for the Boxing Day Test.
However, they have lost Lockie Ferguson for rest of the Trans-Tasman Trophy series.
Ferguson will fly back to New Zealand with a calf injury, after his Test debut ended in disaster and a 296-run loss at the hands of Australia in Perth.
The right-armer had the potential to be the Black Caps’ X factor with the ball but will now be sidelined for up to six weeks and in a race to face India in February.
Boult is expected to be fit to return from a rib injury as the tourists’ leading quick.
He was dearly missed in Perth, given how dangerous he could have been with the pink ball under lights on day one.
“Trent is going really well,” coach Gary Stead said.
“He was probably three or four or five days short of being ready for this Test match.
“It was a risk that we weren’t prepared to take given the length of the season and what is to come.”
New Zealand now face a huge task to bounce back from the first Test belting, although they have shown recently an ability to bounce back.
“I think that (ability to bounce back) is one of the strengths of our teams,” Stead said. “We don’t make knee-jerk reactions too much... we understand it is a game of cricket and you can’t win every game.”
Scott Bailey