The Big Four hurdles in front of Zampa

Leg-spinner Adam Zampa has conceded it’s going to take a raging turner for him to unseat one of Australia’s premier fast bowlers and feature in next month’s Champions Trophy in England.

Australia looks set to employ an all-out pace attack in the Champions Trophy with Zampa the sole specialist spinner selected in the 15-man squad which features the exciting fast-bowling quartet of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Patrick Cummins and James Pattinson, along with seam-bowling allrounders John Hastings, Moises Henriques and Marcus Stoinis.

The prospect of playing the ‘Big Four’ of Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins and Pattinson is a mouth-watering one for Australia’s selectors, and should that happen it would likely mean  Zampa – the world’s leading ODI wicket-taker in 2016 – would be left to don the orange vest and run the drinks.

The 25-year-old was used sparingly at home this summer by Australia’s selectors and publicly vented his frustration at being overlooked despite his impeccable international CV.

But now Zampa understands conditions dictated his selection more than form and says he will be preparing to play in England should Australia encounter a spin-friendly pitch.

"I’ve thought about it a bit and I’m trying to not look too much into it," Zampa told cricket.com.au when asked about his prospects of playing.

"Recently when I’ve been dropped from sides I’ve been quite disappointed because I feel like I’ve done well but they’ve gone for something else.

"But now I understand where my role sits in the squad or in the team with the amount of fast-bowling power we’ve got.

"I’m expecting to play if the conditions suit and they’ve made it pretty obvious to me that leg-spin does play a role in one-day cricket but more when the conditions suit, which is fair enough.

"Depending on what we get in England I’ll be ready to go, I’ll be training hard and I’ll just try to take my opportunity where I can because I’m not really sure what to expect in the Champions Trophy."

While the Big Four look set to be the biggest roadblock for a spot in the starting side for Zampa, the leggie says it could be a close friend and Melbourne Stars teammate who leapfrogs the talented battery of quicks into the XI.

"With Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins in particular they all had great summers again and Patto is back firing again," Zampa said.

"But I think it’s going to be hard to go past John Hastings with what he’s done in one-day cricket as an all-round package.

"It’s going to be tough to get in that team but I’m excited to see those quicks and for my big mate Hasto back in the squad."

Hastings returns to Australia’s squad after an injury-plagued 2016-17 season and by the time he joins his national teammates the strapping Victorian will have spent two months in England playing for county side Worcestershire.

While Hastings missed out on a Cricket Australia central contract offer last week despite finishing 2016 as ODI cricket’s joint second-highest wicket-taker, Zampa was rewarded for his efforts in white-ball cricket over the past 12 months with his first full CA contract offer.

Although he cemented his spot as Australia’s premier limited-overs spin bowler, Zampa wasn’t entirely sure an offer would come his way when CA named the 20-man list a week ago.

But the good news came via a text from national selector Trevor Hohns, instilling belief in Zampa that he’s moving up the ranks of Australian cricket.

"I thought with getting an upgrade the last two seasons and being a semi-regular player in the ODI team that I’d be a chance, but you never know with those things," Zampa said.

"It was pretty exciting to find out because it’s always nice to know you’re taking steps forward.

"For me, getting that contract feels like I’m taking another step forward.

"It’s been a big 18 months and an up-and-down 18 months but to get a CA contract and get backed in by the selectors and Cricket Australia, it’s a nice feeling."

Champions Trophy 2017 Guide

Squads: Every Champions Trophy squad named so far

Group A: Australia, New Zealand, England, Bangladesh.

Group B: India, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Pakistan.

Schedule

Warm-up matches

26 May – Australia v Sri Lanka, The Oval

27 May – Bangladesh v Pakistan, Edgbaston

28 May – India v New Zealand, The Oval

29 May – Australia v Pakistan, Edgbaston

30 May – New Zealand v Sri Lanka, Edgbaston

30 May – Bangladesh vs India, The Oval

Tournament

1 June – England v Bangladesh, The Oval (Day)

2 June – Australia v New Zealand, Edgbaston (D)

3 June – Sri Lanka v South Africa, The Oval (D)

4 June – India v Pakistan, Edgbaston (D)

5 June – Australia v Bangladesh, The Oval (D/N)

6 June – England v New Zealand, Cardiff (D)

7 June – Pakistan v South Africa, Edgbaston (D/N)

8 June – India v Sri Lanka, The Oval (D)

9 June – New Zealand v Bangladesh, Cardiff (D)

10 June – England v Australia, Edgbaston (D)

11 June – India v South Africa, The Oval (D)

12 June – Sri Lanka v Pakistan, Cardiff (D)

14 June – First semi-final (A1 v B2), Cardiff (D)

15 June – Second semi-final (A2 v B1), Edgbaston (D)

18 June – Final, The Oval (D)

19 June – Reserve day (D)