Adam Zampa withdraws from Sheffield Shield match; Cricket NSW apologizes
Cricket New South Wales (NSW) has apologized to Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa after he was publicly criticized regarding his selection in a Sheffield Shield game against Tasmania. The controversy erupted after Zampa, who doesn't feature in First-Class cricket regularly, was surprisingly picked over fellow leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha for the Tasmania clash. The decision drew ire from former players and current NSW board members Stuart Clark and Ed Cowan.
Zampa's selection faced criticism from former players
Zampa's selection was seen as a ploy to ensure his place in Australia's next Test tour of Sri Lanka. Former captain Mark Taylor publicly slammed the decision, while Clark and Cowan raised their objections on air. Clark was baffled by the selection process, saying they were told that Zampa had to play without any discussion.
Clark plans to escalate issue to Cricket NSW CEO
Clark said he plans to take this up with Cricket NSW chief executive, Lee Germon. He said he was confused between what he was being told and what was being reported in the media. "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," he said.
Haddin questions Zampa's inclusion in Shield game
Speaking on the Willow Cricket Podcast, Brad Haddin also questioned Zampa's inclusion in the Shield game. "I'm an Adam Zampa fan... but I don't think he should be playing this Shield game. He doesn't come to training, he's not part of the NSW system. I just think it sends a real bad message to our younger players in the squad," Haddin said. After these public comments, Cricket NSW apologized to Zampa who has now withdrawn from the next match.
Zampa's First-Class appearances
Zampa's limited First-Class appearances have mostly been due to his white-ball commitments, a situation also encountered by Glenn Maxwell in Victoria. Zampa had earlier shown interest in challenging himself with a Test debut and sees the upcoming Sri Lanka tour as a possible opportunity. He remains Australia's mainstay spinner in white-ball cricket, having taken 180 ODI and 117 T20I wickets. In 41 First-Class games, Zampa has taken 115 wickets.
