Zampa set for rare chance to push red-ball credentials

Adam Zampa could play his first red-ball cricket since the 2022-23 season after being named in New South Wales’ Sheffield Shield squad to face Tasmania while Australia white-ball quick Xavier Bartlett is set for a first-class return after injury.

Zampa last played a first-class match in February 2023 but has a window in his schedule before the BBL to make a rare Sheffield Shield outing. He has previously spoken of still having ambitions to play Test cricket with an eye on the tour of Sri Lanka early next year. Zampa takes the place of young legspinner Tanveer Sangha for the game at the SCG.

“Adam is a very experienced cricketer who is a great addition to our group,” Greg Mail, the Cricket NSW chief of cricket performance, said. “To have Zampa, Sean Abbott and Josh Philippe come back into the side after a fantastic win over South Australia in the last round is a bonus.”

Zampa’s last Shield game was also against Tasmania at the SCG in where he claimed 3 for 41. Overall in first-class cricket he averages 46.98 but has only played six games since 2017.

Bartlett, meanwhile, returned to action in the recent T20I series against Pakistan, where he took five wickets in three matches, after picking up a side strain on the UK tour in September. Queensland’s game against Victoria will be a day-night contest, alongside the South Australia-Western Australia fixture in the same round which begins on Saturday.

Victoria have been able to include Matthew Short for his first Shield game of the season after he completed his white-ball duties for Australia.

Spencer Johnson is in South Australia squad following his impressive performances against Pakistan.

New South Wales squad

Sean Abbott, Jackson Bird, Ollie Davies, Jack Edwards (capt), Matt Gilkes, Chris Green, Ryan Hadley, Sam Konstas, Nic Maddinson, Kurtis Patterson, Josh Philippe, Adam Zampa

Queensland squad

Mitchell Swepson (capt), Xavier Bartlett, Jack Clayton, Liam Guthrie, Lachlan Hearne, Angus Lovell, Ben McDermott, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Bryce Street, Tom Whitney, Jack Wildermuth

Victoria squad

Peter Handscomb (capt), Ash Chandrasinghe, Xavier Crone, Sam Elliott, Sam Harper, Marcus Harris, Campbell Kellaway, Cam McClure, Jon Merlo, Todd Murphy, Fergus O’Neill, Tom Rogers, Matt Short, Peter Siddle

South Australia squad

Ben Manenti (capt), Harry Conway, Brendan Doggett, Daniel Drew, Henry Hunt, Spencer Johnson, Thomas Kelly, Jake Lehmann, Conor McInerney, Henry Nielsen, Lloyd Pope, Liam Scott