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Nair's amazing figures in grade cricket

Teenage off-spinner takes eight wickets and bowls 12 maidens ahead of clash against Pakistan this week

NSW Blues spinner Arjun Nair has warmed up for a clash against Pakistan next week with an eight-wicket haul in Sydney Premier Cricket on Saturday.

The 18-year-old off-spinner finished with incredible figures of 8-17 from 19.3 overs, including 12 maidens, in Hawkesbury's match against Campbelltown-Camden.

Against a side featuring another prominent finger spinner, former England tweaker Monty Panesar, Nair came on at third change after the visitors had put on 52 for the first wicket in the two-day clash.

Scorecard: Hawkesbury v Campbelltown-Camden

Nair then spun his web with Campbelltown-Camden losing all 10 wickets for just 73 to be bowled out for 125.

Five of Nair's eight wickets were LBW, while he also bowled two batsmen and had opener Mitch Carruthers caught and bowled for 33.

Panesar batted at No.11 and finished 0 not out.

Nair then showed his versatility by opening the batting, scoring 25 from 34 balls before being dismissed.

Nair will miss the second day of the clash next Saturday after he was named in the Cricket Australia XI to take on the touring Pakistan side in a day-night tour match in Cairns.

The pink-ball day-night game gets underway on Thursday (Dec 8) at Cazaly’s Stadium, ahead of the Commonwealth Bank Day-Night Test against Pakistan, which begins on December 15 at the Gabba.

Nair, who famously taught himself how to bowl a doosra by studying YouTube videos of West Indian Sunil Narine, has long been touted as a future international player.

Nair takes 6-24 in Under 19s

He was the fifth-highest wicket-taker in the Matador BBQs One-Day Cup last October, underlining why he was handed a first-class debut by the Blues last summer aged just 17.

He just returned from New Zealand for the Sydney Thunder's tour ahead of their KFC Big Bash League title defence, where he picked up three wickets and also posted scores of 30 and 17no in two matches.

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