Australia’s leading spinners return

Nathan Lyon is in career-best form but fears he might be short of spin-bowling back-up this summer have been eased after a trio of leading tweakers around the country made encouraging comebacks from injury.

Australia's spin cupboard appeared startlingly bare earlier this month, with Stephen O'Keefe, Ashton Agar and Jon Holland all missing due to injury but selectors will have noted their promising returns over the past week.

Lyon's mantle as Australia's No.1 spinner remains undisputed after starting the Magellan Ashes in style with five scalps in a 10-wicket victory over England at the Gabba.

But Trevor Hohns' panel will no doubt have kept a close eye on the next crop of leading spinners should the ‘GOAT’ need some back-up at any stage this summer.

Selectors have opted to go with two slow bowlers in the two most recent Tests at the SCG, with O'Keefe partnering Lyon on both occasions at the traditionally spin-friendly venue.

A damaged finger delayed O’Keefe’s start to this JLT Sheffield Shield season but he was back against Victoria last week, claiming three wickets against the Bushrangers including that of double-century maker Glenn Maxwell in an encouraging first-up performance.

Holland too returned from injury in the Bushrangers-Blues clash at North Sydney Oval having recently undergone knee surgery, and looked to have lost none of his form from his 50-wicket Shield season last summer, collecting seven wickets including 5-67 in the first innings against NSW.

"I think it's refreshing to see a lot of (spin) guys bowling well," O'Keefe told AAP.

"Jon is bowling probably as well as he's ever bowled and deserved his five-for.

"If you look right across the country, I think (Queensland's Mitchell) Swepson is bowling well.

"(WA's) Ashton Agar has done well every time he's got an opportunity for Australia."

Agar, who impressed on Australia's Qantas Tour of Bangladesh earlier this year, made his return from a broken finger in Western Australia’s Premier Cricket competition on the weekend

The 24-year-old, playing for University against Midland-Guildford, returned 0-7 from three overs on the first day of the match on Saturday after striking 22, and will likely have a longer spell of bowling next weekend when the visitors resume their first dig at 0-47. 

Agar would appear to be the leading contender to be Lyon's back-up considering he was picked to partner the off-spinner for both matches on Australia's most recent Test tour to Bangladesh, though O'Keefe made a surprise return for the second Test in Chittagong in a three-pronged spin attack.

O’Keefe has snared seven wickets across the last two Sydney Tests, which included a rain-interrupted game against the West Indies in which Australia only bowled once.

But Holland was the Shield's leading spin bowler last season with 50 wickets – the second-most in the competition behind South Australia’s Chadd Sayers – and has Test experience having made his debut in place of an injured O'Keefe on the 2016 tour of Sri Lanka.

"I think there's a lot of guys probably in contention if there is a second spot," O'Keefe said.

"But at the moment the way that ‘Gazza’ (Lyon) is bowling he's doing the work for two spinners on his own, isn't he, he's bowling that well.

"It's just a nice problem to have if selectors have to go and choose."

2017-18 International Fixtures

Magellan Ashes Series

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

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 Adelaide Oval, December 2-6 (Day-Night). Tickets

Third Test WACA Ground, December 14-18. Tickets

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