Cricket Australia and New South Wales embroiled in war of words over the selection of one Aussie Test hopeful

Cricket Australia and New South Wales have been embroiled in a war of words over the selection of one Aussie Test hopeful.

Adam Zampa was surprisingly recalled to the New South Wales side for their Sheffield Shield clash against Tasmania last week at the SCG.

The decision has ruffled a few feathers among some in the cricket community, with Zampa, who took figures of 4-140 during the match, being selected over Tanveer Sangha – the side’s regular spinner.

Zampa, one of Australia’s top white-ball spinners, had not played a first-class match for NSW since February 2023.

It appears he is making moves to put his case forward for a place in Australia’s Test squad to take on Sri Lanka next year.

While uncertainty shrouds around why Zampa was parachuted back into the NSW side, some, including Aussie star Alyssa Healy, have questioned the decision.

‘I can see maybe why they’ve gone down that path… but you are kind of taking the p*** a little bit (out of) the baggy blue,’ Healy said to Willow Talk.

Adam Zampa has found himself in the middle of a war of words between Cricket New South Wales and Cricket Australia 

The 32-year-old’s selection for NSW has ruffled feathers among some in the Aussie cricket world after he had not played for the state since 2023

Former New South Wales and Australia captain Mark Taylor also hit out at the decision, along with ex-Aussie star Brad Haddin.

Both claimed that the call gives off a really poor message to younger stars around the state.

‘I just think that this selection is a very bad one… Obviously, he [Zampa] doesn’t really want to play first-class cricket,’ Taylor said, speaking on the decision to snub Sangha for Zampa.

‘I don’t like the selection, I really don’t. I’m disappointed with the selection because I think it sends the wrong message to young cricketers. Not just Tanveer – young cricketers can get dropped, but I think it sends a bad message.

‘State cricket should have the best spinner in the state and what they’re saying is that it’s a player who doesn’t play in the state.’

Despite that, Cricket Australia’s high-performance manager Ben Oliver has claimed Australia bosses had not issued any directive to NSW to pick Zampa.

‘The national selection panels are in regular contact with each state association but, ultimately, the selection for each Sheffield Shield match or domestic matches is very much the realm of the state association,’ Oliver said in a statement.

He added: ‘That process was consistent with this most recent round of Shield cricket.’

It has been claimed by some NSW bosses that Australia had instructed the state to field Zampa against Tasmania last week

Stuart Clark claims NSW were told ‘they had to play’ Zampa by Cricket Australia with hopes Zampa could travel for their tour of Sri Lanka next year

Zampa is yet to make his Test debut for Australia, had re-joined NSW in 2020 after spending time with South Australia.

Despite Oliver’s comments on the matter, NSW Cricket Board member and selector Stuart Clark claimed that they had been instructed to field Zampa.

‘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,’ Clark said to ABC Radio.

‘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.’

And it looks like the situation could be escalated further.

‘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,’ he said.

‘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.’

Zampa took match figures of 4-140 during NSW’s 55-run defeat by Tasmania last week

Zampa returned to the side at the expense of young New South Wales regular Tanveer Sangha

The Sydney Morning Herald claims that Cricket New South Wales head of cricket and Australia chief selector George Baily had held conversations ahead of the match about Zampa’s inclusion. 

It is understood that NSW had been told the cricketer is in the frame to be selected for Australia’s tour to Sri Lanka.

Clark, meanwhile, added that Zampa was a quality bowler but needed to be around the NSW side more if he wanted to play red-ball cricket.

‘If he wanted to be part of the four-day set-up, then he probably needs to be around and come to training and play a bit of grade cricket and things like that,’ Clark said. ‘He’s a quality bowler and there’s no reason he couldn’t be successful.’

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