Agar spins into SCG Test contention

Spinner Ashton Agar believes he's bowling as well as he ever has and is ready to partner Nathan Lyon for the final Test of the Magellan Ashes series in Sydney – if given the opportunity.

Agar appears to be at the pointy end of a lengthy queue to be Australia's second spinner for the fifth Test against England at the SCG, the venue regarded as being the country's most accommodating to slow bowlers.

The left-armer missed the early part of the JLT Sheffield Shield season after breaking a finger on his right hand in October, but was Australia's second-choice spinner behind Lyon on their most recent overseas Test tour to Bangladesh.

Stephen O'Keefe was handed a shock recall for the second Test of that tour after initially being overlooked for the younger Agar, joining him and Lyon in a three-pronged spin attack. Captain Steve Smith and national selectors have made it clear Agar's initial selection over O’Keefe was made with one eye on grooming him for their next Test series in India.

Agar helped KFC Big Bash League ladder-leaders Perth Scorchers to their third straight win in his hometown Melbourne against the Renegades on Friday evening. While he only has one wicket for the tournament so far, he's been miserly with the ball and has gone at under six an over in each of the reigning BBL champions' three victories.

"This is definitely the best I've bowled in Twenty20 cricket," Agar told cricket.com.au at Etihad Stadium.

"I've just found my length more consistently. I've smartened up a bit, I've learnt the game a lot more. I'm able to read batters a lot better."

Asked if his career-best bowling form extends into the longest format, Agar said, "I think so. It comes down to understanding your action, what your best ball is, what you can fall back to and just thinking of getting the batter out.

"I'm not thinking about my action anymore or how the ball is coming out," he added. "All I'm thinking about is how to get the batter out at any point in time or the game situation.

"That's a really good headspace to be in as a spin bowler."

Agar was selected in Australia's squad for the Sydney Test against Pakistan last summer but O'Keefe was ultimately chosen to partner Lyon having also been called up for the corresponding match in his home state the previous year.

While no Sheffield Shield games have been played at the venue this summer, selector Mark Waugh said a second spinner "will come into the discussion for sure" while former Test batsman Mike Hussey is adamant Lyon will have slow-bowling company for the New Year's Test.

Other contenders for the spot include Victoria left-arm finger spinner Jon Holland, who collected 50 Shield wickets last season, and Queensland leggie Mitchell Swepson, who's taken 16 first-class wickets in five games and was included in Australia's squad for both India and Bangladesh.

Complicating matters is the potential return of pace spearhead Mitchell Starc, who has missed the Boxing Day Test with a bruised heel. Selectors might struggle to justify leaving any of Starc, Josh Hazlewood or Pat Cummins out given their potency in Australia's Ashes series win, while the in-form Lyon remains a lock.

Agar's capability with the bat – he holds a Test batting average above 30, famously struck 98 from No.11 on Test debut during the 2013 Ashes and has two first-class tons to his name – could potentially put him in line to feature in Australia's top-seven in Sydney, which would leave the hosts awash with bowling options.

Agar says those possibilities have been far from his mind, but the 24-year-old insists he'll be ready to go if given the nod despite having just one first-class match under his belt so far this summer.

"I've only played the one game but I bowled 50 overs in the first innings at the MCG on a pretty flat wicket and was really pleased with how they came out," Agar said of his marathon bowling effort against Victoria earlier this month which yielded 4-119 and included 13 maidens.

"They're good players of spin and I feel like I bowled well to them.

"All you have out there is you, and your self-belief, and that's what I've really learnt over the last few years. All your teammates are behind you but if you're not behind yourself, you've got nothing.

"I've just got to take that belief into whatever happens ahead. Anything that happens is out of my control. I'm just focused on my next bowl."

Agar got an early sight of the SCG square that he could be bowling on next week in the Scorchers' BBL|07 opener against Sydney Sixers last Saturday, collecting 0-21 off four frugal overs.

"It was a pretty nice wicket," he said. "The last couple of years it's spun a little bit and they (Australia) have taken a couple of spinners in."

2017-18 International Fixtures

Magellan Ashes Series

Australia Test squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird.

England Test squad: Joe Root (c), James Anderson (vc), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Gary Ballance, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Mason Crane, Tom Curran, Ben Foakes, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ben Stokes, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Chris Woakes.

First Test Australia won by 10 wickets. Scorecard

Second Test Australia won by 120 runs (Day-Night). Scorecard

Third Test Australia won by an innings and 41 runs. Scorecard

Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Tickets

Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Tickets

Gillette ODI Series v England

First ODI MCG, January 14. Tickets

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Tickets

Fifth ODI Perth Stadium, January 28. Tickets

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Tickets

Gillette T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Tickets

Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Tickets

Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Tickets

Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 14

Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21