Redbacks tweaker Adam Zampa stands by one-day record and is ready for Marnus Labuschagne in Marsh Cup opener
Adam Zampa reveals the reasons behind his tough World Cup campaign and optimism ahead of South Australia’s one-day clash with Marnus Labuschagne’s Queensland.
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Adam Zampa is sticking to his guns despite an unfulfilled World Cup campaign and testing confrontation with Queensland’s Ashes wonder Marnus Labuschagne on Tuesday in Brisbane.
Leg-spinner Zampa noted Test No.3 Labuschagne was one of many potential headaches in a potent Bulls line-up at Allan Border Field including Max Bryant, Joe Burns and Matt Renshaw.
“Marnus has come back from the Ashes and a series like that can give you a lot of confidence. Queensland are a tough side,” said Zampa, sporting a ‘career best’ mullet.
“Hopefully he is out before I get a crack at him. It is important to take wickets early against Queensland. They have dangerous guys throughout.
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“Max Bryant keeps getting better. You can see with Queensland cricket the guys go away and get better year after year. Even guys like Renshaw are getting better at white ball cricket.
“We know Queensland will keep coming hard with the bat so it is about bowling well defensively. Wickets in the middle are important against Queensland.”
Spinners were incidental, failing to finish among the top 18 wicket-takers at the 2019 World Cup in England with Zampa restricted to five in four matches. Strikers leggie Rashid Khan toiled for six wickets in nine starts for Afghanistan.
However Essex’s victorious Twenty20 blast side on Saturday night carried a cardboard cut-out tribute to Zampa. The South Australian’s 12 wickets at 28 underwrote Essex’s 2019 T20 assault before Zampa missed finals day due to Marsh Cup commitments.
Adam Zampa is back home in Australia to play in the one-day Cup, but @EssexCricket ensured he didn't miss out on their #Blast19 victory celebrations 😉🾠https://t.co/DFI6zGv1om
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) September 22, 2019
[📸: zampstagram/Instagram] pic.twitter.com/4unnaWonxN
“I suppose the way the World Cup went people expected the leg-spinners to have a different tournament to what they did. The weather didn’t help, the wickets weren’t as dry as we expected,” said Zampa, conceding he was ‘up all night’ watching Essex’s last ball win against Worcestershire in the Blast final.
“Personally it didn’t go the way I felt it should. I am not going to change too much. I have had a really good few years in one-day cricket, particularly at domestic level I am pretty consistent.”
Zampa endured a lean World Cup but teammate Alex Carey earnt team of the tournament status and a deserved aura. Keeper-batsman Carey averaged 62.5 with the bat and pouched 20 dismissals.
“He has got some presence at the moment Keza, the way he is playing with the bat and played the last few years,” said Zampa who took 12 one-day wickets at 25.4 last season for SA.
“He is one of those guys that keeps getting better and a leader with the national side and will do the same for us. Having Keza behind the stumps gives us a lot of confidence.”