Tweakers descend on NCC for spin week

Australia’s push to produce more high-quality slow bowlers – and batsmen capable of prospering in turning conditions – takes another step forward this week, with a group of the country’s most talented young spinners arriving at the Bupa National Cricket Centre for a five-day 'spin camp'.

The camp runs in line with the National Performance Squad program, and will expose the group of visiting tweakers and NPS members to numerous on and off-field learning opportunities.

These will include the opportunity to train on subcontinent-style pitches, simulating different training and match scenarios, and specialist spin-bowling panels focusing on playing in the subcontinent and white-ball cricket.

“We want to build a really strong spin culture,” NPS head coach Troy Cooley said.

“The game has changed for spinners, and over the last few years at the NCC we have had a huge shift to ensure spin bowling takes it rightful place in the skill component of our program.

"This is on the back of Australia wanting to dominate and win overseas at the top level, where the spinning ball can play a big part.

“The National Spin Program identifies coaches and spinners from around the country to come up here for this opportunity, and it creates a great environment to develop the art of spin bowling and from a batting perspective, the tactics to succeed against spin.

“We want to offer a different experience as part of the overall program, and for us to create the opportunity at the front end of our program, especially with our quicks still in hibernation and that strength-building, development phase, it’s the perfect time to take that opportunity in outdoor conditions with the turf pitches and subcontinent-style pitches we’ve got here.”

Former international spinners Johan Botha and Xavier Doherty, Test squad members Ashton Agar and Mitch Swepson plus last summer's leading Sheffield Shield spinner Jon Holland formed the white-ball panel on Monday morning, discussing their experiences in limited-overs cricket with players.

Alongside Agar and Swepson in the group of visiting spin bowlers are Western Australia wrist-spinner D’Arcy Short, NSW Blues offie Arjun Nair and Melbourne Stars wrist-spinner Liam Bowe, plus emerging junior prospects including Australia Under 19s stars Lloyd Pope and Jason Sangha.

The NPS program’s four spinners – Michael Cormack, Daniel Fallins, Param Uppal and Mac Wright – are all involved, and the week also offers the National Performance Squad’s batsmen and wicketkeepers to hone their craft in subcontinent conditions against spin bowling, ahead of a tour to the MRF Academy in India next month. 

The spin week program is headed up by spin program coaches John Davison and Ross Chapman, with former Australia off-spinner Ashley Mallett and Australia’s coaching consultant for the recent Test series against India, Sridharan Sriram, among several guest coaches.

Spin week participants: Thomas Engelbrecht, Ben Taylor (ACT); Daniel Fallins*, Devlin Malone, Arjun Nair, Jason Sangha, Param Uppal* (New South Wales); Hamish Martin, Dylan Mullen (Northern Territory); Mitchell Connolly, Matthew Kuhnemann, Harrison Macoun, Mitch Swepson (Queensland); Tom Andrews, Michael Cormack*, Thomas O’Connell, Lloyd Pope (South Australia); Jarrod Freeman, Beau Webster, Mac Wright* (Tasmania); Liam Bowe, Sam Grimwade, (Victoria); Ashton Agar, Kyle Gardiner, D’Arcy Short (Western Australia).

*National Performance Squad member