Siddle heads to Apple Isle as several stars switch states

Some state borders may be closed, but that won’t stop a number of high profile Australian cricketers finding new homes.

Peter Siddle trains in Melbourne on Saturday for an upcoming triathlon Picture: Getty Images

Some state borders might still be closed, but that won’t block the path of a number of high-profile Australian cricketers finding new homes over the next few weeks.

The states can officially sign contracts with cricketers from midnight on Monday, but unofficial meetings and offers are on the table and were all but sealed before the clock struck 12.

Veteran Victorian quick Peter Siddle is set to see out his years as a Tasmanian after 14 years of first-class cricket for the Bushrangers, while teammate Chris Tremain is set to return to NSW.

Tasmania were reported to be keen and confident about getting D’Arcy Short from Western Australia, but the talented white-ball cricketer will remain out west while the island state looks for another batsman.

There are indications Tasmania may make a move for Tom Andrews, the left arm orthodox all-rounder whose selection ahead of Adam Zampa for the Redbacks in the last Sheffield Shield summer was cited as one of the reasons Zampa was unhappy in South Australia.

Zampa is set to move back to his home state NSW and will replace Steve O’Keefe as the frontline spinner on one of the few turning tracks in the country.

The ODI and T20 star is keen to advance his case with the red ball and will get an opportunity when Nathan Lyon is away and possibly even in the same side when the Test spinner is available.

The lot of spinners in Australian first-class cricket has become a debating point as the slow bowlers become increasingly marginalised. Last season no spinner ranked in the top 20 wicket-takers in Sheffield Shield.

O’Keefe, who was the leading wicket-taker among his peers with 16 from just five matches, launched an impassioned plea for groundsmen, coaches and cricket to find a way to bring the slow bowlers into the game.

Shane Warne bought into the argument late last week, calling for some form of quota system to ensure the Shield does not turn its back completely on spin bowlers.

“A spinner should play every single game, no matter what the conditions are like, so that particular spinners can learn how to bowl on day one or day four,” Warne said. “Nathan Lyon is one of the best spinners in the world, and we’re so lucky to have a great spinner in Lyon. If something happened to him, we’ve got a spinner with very little first-class experience that could be up against some of the best players in the world of spin.

“We have some good spinners in Australia, but they’re not getting the opportunities. Cricket Australia should maybe put some pressure on the states and say, ‘You have to pick one specialist spinner in your team every time’.’’

Queensland captain Usman Khawaja admitted it was hard to bring spinners into the game, claiming he wanted to give the Bulls Mitchell Swepson more opportunity but conditions rarely suited. “It’s really hard, even for me as a captain, to get (Swepson) into the game when the ball is hooping around corners and you’re playing on really green decks,” Khawaja said.

“He’s always been a part of our team and he’s always there no matter what the wicket is because he’s such a good bowler. But it’s really hard to get him in the game sometimes because the wickets weren’t really favouring spin.

“I feel for spinners in Australia and we need to be careful here because we have an absolute genius in Nathan Lyon … but who’s coming after him?”

Head selector Trevor Hohns recently identified succession plans for Lyon as one of the problems the game faces.

“It’s something we always talk about, there’s no doubt about that. We have seen some improvement over the last two or three years in spin bowlers, like Ashton Agar, Adam Zampa — particularly in the short-form game — Mitchell Swepson had a very good season last year.

“All we can do in that area is continue to encourage those guys, and what have you, to continue to try to get better and then the states have to play their part in this as well, make sure they’re getting bowled from time to time.

“As we’ve seen around the country over the last 10 years or so, the pitches have changed. not been as conducive to spin bowling as they used to. So that’s played a big part in it as well.

“On the other side of the coin to that, we see well-performed international spin bowlers come here to play against Australia — Indian spinners and what have you — and they don’t perform too well on our pitches either.

“So I think we have to qualify there. Particularly when we say ‘we don’t have any spinners’. We do have them. they just, need encouragement from the states to continue bowling and encouragement out of the pitches as well.’’