Twenty names, thirteen of them playing Tests as specialist spinners, in a little over five years. There are only six domestic sides in Australia, so logic dictates that there are states who have contributed ridiculous amounts of spin bowling to the national set-up.
The selectors, clearly, simply cannot decide on who to select, and this must have plenty to do with the fact that there are no obvious stand-out slow bowlers. The only spinner in the top 20 Shield wicket-takers this year was Steve O'Keefe with 24 wickets at 22 apiece (which are pretty excellent stats). Nathan Hauritz, Fawad Ahmed, Johan Botha and Ashton Agar's wicket tallies were all in the teens, with respectable but not outstanding averages. The only spinners who even slightly impressed were in the national selectors' thoughts, apparently with the exception of O'Keefe, who can be understandably miffed by his continual omission even from the 'A' squad.
Only three spinners impressed in the Shield; one of them is most notable by his absence.
Ashton AGAR Fawad AHMED Cullen BAILEY Michael BEER Cameron BOYCE Xavier DOHERTY Nathan HAURITZ Jon HOLLAND Jason KREJZA Nathan LYON Glenn MAXWELL Marcus NORTH Steve O'KEEFE Steve SMITH Adam ZAMPA | (WA) (VIC) (SA) (WA) (QLD) (TAS) (QLD) (VIC) (TAS) (SA) (VIC) (WA) (NSW) (NSW) (NSW) | FC Bat Ave 33.85 10.00 21.36 11.48 12.86 13.50 21.00 13.63 25.19 11.23 39.88 40.29 30.91 42.68 8.20 | Test bowling stats 2 wickets @ 124.00 3 wickets @ 59.33 7 wickets @ 78.28 63 wickets @ 34.98 13 wickets @ 43.23 77 wickets @ 34.09 7 wickets @ 27.57 14 wickets @ 42.21 8 wickets @ 46.50 | FC bowling stats 34 wickets @ 36.02 56 wickets @ 31.44 79 wickets @ 49.46 70 wickets @ 40.05 40 wickets @ 46.45 126 wickets @ 45.07 177 wickets @ 42.46 75 wickets @ 39.18 114 wickets @ 49.59 128 wickets @ 39.17 35 wickets @ 35.22 143 wickets @ 39.68 85 wickets @ 26.49 51 wickets @ 54.47 10 wickets @ 23.90 |
Do the Australians want a wicket-taker, or a stock bowler?
If they're looking for an attacking spinner, then they've got to be looking at either Fawad Ahmed, the wrist spinner, or Jason Krejza, the off-spinner. Krejza especially leaks runs, which is a pity because each one of his dozen debut wickets was a classic off-break. It was the 300-plus runs that he conceded that was much more of an issue.
Or, if you think that none of the above is a Test class spinner (for which you could be forgiven) then you could plump for either one of Steve O'Keefe or Ashton Agar. Although neither has a first-class ton, they are both more than able number eight batsmen. Agar in particular was showing that he could potentially be a Test all-rounder, even if his spin might be lacking as a specialist suit. O'Keefe, as well as being a competent batsman and state skipper, is the only spinner in Australia to have a first-class average under thirty.
I'd go with Steve O'Keefe. I think he's been harshly dealt with to not even be in the 'A' squad, in spite of year in, year out impressing for New South Wales. He also spent a year in the Twenty20 side before being cast aside. At 28, the Malaysian born left armer might be a suitable spinner for a good few years of Test cricket. Otherwise, it will be Nathan Lyon who the Australians have to stick with. He is, after all, the most successful Test spinner since Warne.
Just pick one and move on. You've got the seamers to bowl around them.
That concludes the trilogy. In the course of it, I have pointed towards the adoption of a second first-class competition, and a post-Clarke squad that looks something like: Cowan, Maddinson, Khawaja, White, Hughes, Smith, Warner, Paine, O'Keefe, Lyon, and the seamers. Of course, this could be a long way from a solution, and a solution may not even be needed, but I don't think that this one competitive Test proves anything yet.