Shane Warne column: Mitchell Swepson should play with, not instead of Nathan Lyon at SCG
With the SCG set to turn and the series won, the time was ripe to blood Mitch Swepson. But despite being called up to the squad, the young leg-spinner was left out. And Shane Warne believes it was the wrong call.
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I’d like to clear something up. When Mitchell Swepson was added to the Test squad for Sydney, there was a lot of debate in the commentary box in Melbourne about how to get him a game and make sure he can cope at international level in case something ever happened to Nathan Lyon.
We’ve all seen players not cope and go to water on Test debut.
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Lyon is so good his spot is secure, but with only two Tests in Bangladesh before next summer against India, I’d love to see Swepson play now.
Under current rules, if he plays a Test he could sign as an overseas player in County Cricket, which would be great for his development.
When things are going really well with the team — like now — it’s a good time to blood a young spinner.
We could just keep him travelling with the team, but the problem is he doesn’t play any cricket. He’s just bowling in the nets.
With just Big Bash on now, there’s no first class cricket, either.
It would be huge to even suggest Lyon could rest so we could play the leg-spinner.
We shouldn’t do that.
Throwing around ideas with Australia 2-0 up and having dominated the summer, I thought it would be worth going with five bowlers as coach Justin Langer floated before Melbourne.
The word is the SCG is going to turn, so I thought we should leave out a batsman and play two spinners.
That’s where I was heading with my comment, because you never know how someone is going to react at international level either until you try them.
Will they withstand the pressure?
Will they not be able to land them?
So you have a look, and if it goes well you know you have your second spinner and you can roll him out if you need two, or if something happens to Lyon.
That’s the full context around my comments about Lyon. I say play five bowlers.
I take my hat off to the selectors for picking Swepson.
It would have been easy to go with Ashton Agar, a safe and good option. He’s a leading candidate because of his all-round abilities.
But a wrist spinner such as Swepson is more likely to be a match winner. I’m excited the selectors have anointed him as the No.2 spinner.
HE’S GOT THE WEAPONS
I’ve worked with Swepson a few times, we had a good session last year and we’ve kept in touch.
I’ve just tried to help out where I can and kept an eye on him.
He’s done so much hard work and evolved to this point because of that effort.
Ross âŒ
— News Cricket (@NewsCorpCricket) December 17, 2019
Sams âŒ
He missed the hat-trick, but Mitch #Swepson is on song early in #BBL09! pic.twitter.com/SVVMWFqe71
I’ve been really excited by what he’s gone out and done, how much he’s improved. He’s really got it together at the moment.
I watched him during the Test in Melbourne and he’s bowling beautifully.
I like his weapons. He’s got a good wrong-un, a good leg-break, some good plans and he understands his game so well.
He’s got to a point that he can self-correct in game.
That’s so important, so when it does go a bit wrong, rather than being frustrated he knows how to fix it. He’s worked out his own game and that’s what I like.
He’s only 26, so he’s probably still another couple of years away from his peak. He’s got all the tricks, he’s got his game together and is more mature than when I first saw him.
STATE OF FLUX
It’s been harder for him too because Queensland practically put stumps in the outfield before Christmas and sometimes don’t even play a spinner.
He should be an automatic selection for his betterment and for Australian cricket.
Queensland have to look at the bigger picture, and he has to play every game. He’s only played four of six Sheffield Shield matches this season. If he doesn’t play every match, then he might have to consider moving states.
He should look at playing county cricket in England next year. He should play loads of first class cricket on a heap of different surfaces; when it’s warm, when it’s cold, when the pitch is flat. That will also fast-track his development.
Look at what playing county cricket did for Marnus Labuschagne. Imagine if Swepson could improve as much as he did in such a short time.
A Cricket Australia contract would help his county cause, as would playing in the one-day and T20 games in South Africa in March.
WOULD A CHANGE BE THAT HARSH?
If Australia wants to play five bowlers in Sydney it would be Joe Burns or Matthew Wade who goes.
Looking at the Ashes, then through the four Tests this summer, they are only two pieces of the puzzle for the Australian team that don’t completely fit yet.
The bowlers speak for themselves, Tim Paine has been excellent and David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith and now Travis Head, who made that good hundred in Melbourne, are four batsmen you can bank on for the foreseeable future.
But Burns and Wade, the second opener and that other middle-order batsmen, haven’t quite nailed their spots.
I always said Wade should have got the start this summer, because he made two Ashes hundreds when it wasn’t easy. But has he done enough this summer to be un-droppable?
Burns is a bit the same and he’s probably one more big innings away from consolidating his spot.
Paine batted well and looked in good form in Melbourne, you could move everyone up a spot if you wanted to get Swepson in.
DON’T WORRY ABOUT SMUDGE, YET
Smith has fallen victim to some clever fields and some very good bowling from Neil Wagner this series, but I’m not sure it’s an issue right now.
If he was to get out for nothing and nothing in Sydney to the same sort of bowling, then you might start to think there’s something in it.
But the Perth pitch was fast and bouncy and Wagner bowled well. In the first innings in Melbourne Smith got 85 then a really good ball, and it was a non-event in the second innings as Australia was so far ahead.
I don’t think Smith has any issues against the short ball, but I’ve got no doubt other teams will try the tactic. But they also have to be as good and consistent and accurate as Wagner. There aren’t too many bowlers that can do that.
Wagner is the second fastest New Zealand bowler ever to 200 Test wickets, and his last 12 months, he’s taken 47 wickets in seven Test, have been unbelievable. He’s on a bit of a heater and one of the Kiwi players who has enhanced his reputation.
FEAR FACTOR BACK FOR AUSTRALIA
I’ve been saying this since the Ashes, but opposition teams are starting to fear Australia again.
The world is starting to realise that with the serious bowling weapons Australia has - the best attack in the world - plus the class of Smith and Warner and the emergence of Labuschagne, suddenly Australia doesn’t have too many weak links.
Countries are starting to ask “how do we beat Australia?” again.
I’m already getting excited for next summer, when it’s India, the No.1 team in the world coming here.
It’s going to be No.1 versus No.2, the two teams on top of the Test Championship ladder. They are way in front of everyone else, so it could be them in the final at Lord’s in 2021.
You can’t underestimate the confidence in the team too, the psychology of a team who don’t fear anyone.
Pakistan wasn’t great this summer and New Zealand, the No.2 ranked Test team, hasn’t been at their best.
But Australia dominated them both, didn’t allow them to be at their best.
The Australian team is as good as it’s been for a number of years, and should only get better.
Here’s to a great 2020.