Warne welcomes leg-spin resurgence

Cricket's greatest-ever leg-spinner Shane Warne has welcomed the mini-renaissance of the art in Australian domestic cricket, saying there are several spinners who are putting pressure on incumbent Test and one-day international tweaker Nathan Lyon.

Lyon was one of several Australian players to perform below his best on the recent VB Tour of the UAE, finishing the two-Test series against Pakistan with three wickets at an average of 140.66.

Left-arm spinner Steve O'Keefe took four wickets in the first Test before he was dropped, while part-time leg-spinner Steve Smith finished the series with three wickets at 48.33.

Warne says Lyon remains Australia's No.1 spin-bowling option, adding he was surprised to see the offie change his approach in the UAE.

And the man who reinvigorated leg-spin bowling in the mid-1990s has welcomed the development of leggies Cameron Boyce, Fawad Ahmed and Adam Zampa.

Boyce was one of the stars of Australia's T20 series against South Africa, taking four wickets for the series, a month after he took 2-10 from four overs on his T20 international debut in the UAE.

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Ahmed, who made his international debut against England last year, took three wickets on day two of Victoria's Bupa Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania on Sunday, which followed on from his match figures of 6-151 against NSW last week.

And South Australia's Zampa is highly regarded, with former Test captain Ian Chappell this week calling on selectors to consider the 22-year-old for a Test debut this summer.

"I think it's great that people are putting pressure on Nathan Lyon," Warne said at the launch of Channel Nine's summer of cricket in Sydney.

"I think Nathan Lyon is Australia's No.1 spinner.

"He didn't bowl that well against Pakistan; for some reason he changed the way he was bowling.

"I don't know what he was told by people or why he bowled differently in those conditions.

"He'd been bowling beautifully and I still think he's Australia No.1 spinner.

"But it's nice to see these leggies. We need Zampa to come through, we've got Boyce, I still think Ahmed's pretty good too.

"It's good to see a few leg-spinners out there as well as some left-armers.

"I think the selectors have got some options, which is good."

Ahmed, who many considered to be close to a Test debut last year, picked up 21 wickets from seven matches last summer and has started the new season brightly.

The Pakistan-born bowler fought off strong claims from Jon Holland and James Muirhead to be Victoria's sole spinner for their two Sheffield Shield matches so far, and Bushrangers coach Greg Shipperd says the 32-year-old has repaid the faith.

"He's bowling quite nicely at the moment," Shipperd told cricket.com.au.

"He's got very good control, he's taking wickets (and) he's in a good head space.

"All he needs to do its continue to compete, take wickets and he'll be in the mix along with the rest of the young emerging leg spinners.

"There's a couple of them around and then there's some other spinners as well.

"So there's a good competitive environment in Australia and he’s one of them."

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In addition to the depth of spin bowlers, Warne also lavished praise on Australia's fast-bowling stocks.

With Ryan Harris hopeful of being fit for the four-Test series against India, beginning on December 4, and spearhead Mitchell Johnson the only Australian bowler to look threatening in the UAE, Warne was in no doubt that the home side had the bowling firepower to trouble the tourists this summer.

He said Australia's batsmen, who collectively scored five fifties and one century in two Tests against Pakistan, needed to provide more support.

"I thought collectively as a group they didn't bat very well against Pakistan. They played pretty poorly," Warne said.

"I'd like to see the batsmen start making some runs. If they do that, I think the bowlers can knock them over."

The 45-year-old said there were several players - including a former teammate and close friend - who he expected to have a big summer.

"I really like Pat Cummins, I think he's fantastic," he said.

"If he can get through a couple of four-day games I'm sure he won't be far away from the selectors' minds.

"(Josh) Hazlewood's back, which is good. It would be nice to get (James) Pattinson back too, if he can get over his injuries.

"(And) watch out for Michael Clarke; I think he's going to make a few big hundreds soon."