It was Zampa’s first Sheffield Shield match since February 2023 and came amid talk that he is in the frame to tour Sri Lanka early next year. He claimed 4 for 140 from 40.2 overs across two innings. It has yet to be confirmed whether Zampa will play against Western Australia in the final round of Shield games before the BBL but, after the Tasmania game, Zampa indicated he was keen to feature again.
“The national selection panel 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. “The selection panel are very pleased to see all players playing domestic cricket and have as many options as possible for each of our upcoming series.”
In an update provided to ESPNcricinfo on Saturday following Clark’s comments, Oliver added: “That [selection] process was consistent with the most recent round of Sheffield Shield.”
It’s understood that amid discussions around Zampa, CA had asked NSW whether it was their intention to select him against Tasmania and, if they weren’t going to include him, the national selectors would have made him part of the Prime Minister’s XI squad to face India in Canberra even though that is a pink-ball day-night fixture.
That, however, was not the view of Clark when he was interviewed on ABC Grandstand. “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, the former Australia quick who is also a NSW board member, said. “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… it was a foregone conclusion that he was in the team. I don’t know where this comment comes from.
“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 – I don’t know, 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”
Stuart Clark
“Tanveer Sangha, what sort of message does that send to him? Chris Green is playing as well. Chris Green at the start of the year gave back his contract and said ‘No, I want to go over and play a tournament wherever… I don’t want to be considered for a few games’.”
Zampa has previously spoken about his desire to earn a Test cap. After the game against Tasmania, he said that he was a much more confident bowler than when he played the majority of his first-class cricket before 2018.
“I was eager to play a lot of first-class cricket when I was young, but I probably wasn’t good enough or as confident as I am now,” Zampa had said. “I bowled a lot more bad balls than I do know. I wasn’t confident with my own reading of the game whereas now I feel like I can read guys a lot better and have less mental fog. It’s being able to have a bit more resilience on day-one wickets when you’re trying to hold up an end.
“It [Test cricket] is something I’d like to do and challenge myself at. If I got to end my career and it didn’t pan out that way then I’d be okay with it. I might look back one day and feel like maybe I didn’t give it a 100% crack. I feel like playing these games and putting my hand up for the Sri Lanka tour and being keen, for that is fine.”
Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo
