Cricket NSW apologises to Zampa after claims it was forced to pick him

Adelaide: Spinner Adam Zampa has received an apology from Cricket NSW for the public criticism of his selection for a Sheffield Shield game against Tasmania last week.

According to a source with knowledge of discussions, Zampa received the apology by phone on Monday following a weekend of freewheeling commentary on his place in the Shield team for the game at the SCG, where he was recalled in place of fellow wrist spinner Tanveer Sangha.

Adam Zampa’s Sheffield Shield selection has been questioned.Credit: Getty Images

Zampa’s selection was subject to criticism from NSW board director and selector Stuart Clark and fellow NSW director Ed Cowan this week, with the suggestion that the state had been forced to pick him by Cricket Australia.

However, CA insisted that no such directive was ever issued, merely advice that the national panel was interested in considering Zampa for the Sri Lanka tour. Had NSW not chosen him for the Shield game, he would instead have turned out in the two-day Prime Minister’s XI game in Canberra. Cricket NSW declined to comment.

Zampa has accepted the apology from NSW and won’t be playing in the next Shield game – the final round of red-ball cricket before the Big Bash League break. He also made light of the issue by changing his Instagram bio to describe himself as a “NSW Sheffield Shield player”.

NSW head of cricket Greg Mail, who had discussed the Zampa scenario with national selection chair George Bailey, conveyed to the state selection panel that Zampa should be picked, leading to criticism from former Australian captain Mark Taylor and former Test keeper Brad Haddin.

In turn, Cowan and Clark both spoke on ABC Radio, with Clark declaring that CA had compelled NSW to choose Zampa – a claim strongly denied by the governing body.

“The problem I have with it … when it came to Adam Zampa, we didn’t have a discussion because there was no need to – we were told he had to play,” said former fast bowler Clark, who played 24 Tests for Australia.

“Quite frankly, I don’t understand what the comment of Cricket Australia is because we didn’t need to have a robust debate about his selection. His selection was a foregone conclusion that he was in the team. I’m going to ask Lee Germon from Cricket NSW to clear up this by writing to Cricket Australia perhaps and put my board member’s hat on because we don’t understand this.

“What we were told to do, and what’s coming out in the press, is exactly the opposite. They don’t make sense. Either we, as selectors, have got it wrong – did we misunderstand? But I’m pretty clear because I’ve got messages that say Adam Zampa must be in the team and there is no point discussing his selection.”

Adam Zampa during the T20 World Cup.Credit: AP

Zampa pulled up well from the SCG game and demonstrated his capacity to play long-form cricket should the national selectors decide to choose him for next year’s Sri Lanka tour.

Speaking to Cricket Et Al this week, Zampa said: “Four weeks ago I asked Bails [George Bailey] if I was a chance to go to Sri Lanka.

“Bails said, ‘Yeah, of course.’

“So, I asked him, ‘Do you want me to play Shield?’ And he said, ‘Yeah, if NSW pick you, then great, but if not [then], just play PM’s XI, and if we take a leggy to Sri Lanka, then you’re a chance.’

“So then I went to Maily and said, ‘I’m available for Shield selection against Tasmania.’ If they picked me, great. If not, I’d have the PM’s XI game.

“Maily said, ‘Yeah, we’ll go full steam ahead, you’re playing.’

“Bails has said to me all along, ‘We can’t push NSW to pick you – it’s up to them.’”

Speaking in Adelaide on Tuesday, Test wicketkeeper Alex Carey said Zampa’s trajectory of improvement to be one of the world’s leading white-ball spinners suggested he was capable of adapting to Test cricket in helpful conditions.

“His cricket has just continued to improve,” Carey said. “He’s got to an age where he knows his game really well. I’ve kept to Adam out here for South Australia and he had some success.

“I haven’t seen a lot of his longer-format bowling, just through how much he’s had white ball, but if he ever does get the opportunity to represent Australia in Test cricket, I think his game is just continuing to improve.”

Tanveer took five wickets in grade cricket over the weekend after a barren run of Shield games early in the season on largely unhelpful pitches.

Meanwhile, the Blues will be without opening batsman Nic Maddinson for their Sheffield Shield match against Western Australian starting on Friday. Maddinson will undergo surgery after breaking his finger in the field while playing premier cricket for Eastern Suburbs on the weekend.

In a major blow to the Sydney Thunder, Maddinson could be also ruled out for the entire Big Bash tournament, depending on how the surgery goes.

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