Second spinner the big selection mystery

Competition for the second spinner's spot on Australia's winter Test tours to the Caribbean and UK has divided opinions among cricket writers.

Australia’s press pack is split between favouring left-arm orthodox bowler Ashton Agar and Pakistan-born leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed.

Cricket Australia's National Selector Rod Marsh will announce the Test squads, and the players who have earned central contracts for 2015-16, this morning. 

Ahmed finished the domestic season as the leading wicket-taker in the Bupa Sheffield Shield, taking 48 wickets at 24.79 for the Commonwealth Bank Bushrangers including a career-best and Shield final record 8-89 last week.

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The 33-year-old had a taste of international cricket the last time Australia visited the British Isles in 2013, making his one-day international and T20 international debut following the 3-0 Ashes loss to England. 

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News Limited reports Fawad will pip a man 12 years his junior in Agar, while Fairfax and this website have tipped the roles to be reversed with the Western Australian set to get the nod.

Agar made his shock Test debut at Trent Bridge almost two years ago, scoring a breathtaking 98 batting at No.11 in a record tenth-wicket partnership with the late Phillip Hughes.

While the 21-year-old can’t compete with his rival’s volume of wickets, Agar finished the Shield season with 24 wickets in five matches, highlighted by the only 10-wicket haul by a spinner this summer.

Agar’s batting talent, as seen in his debut Test innings, could also sway the Nation Selection Panel his way, and scores of 64 and 44 not out after the BBL break showed the lissom left-hander is in good form. 

Agar unleashes in Glenelg

The media split doesn’t stop with the spinners, with the reserve batting spot going to three different individuals as the experts around the country tie themselves in knots guessing who will make the Test touring parties.

News has Alcohol.Think Again Western Warriors captain and Sheffield Shield player of the year Adam Voges traveling to the Windies and United Kingdom after producing the fourth most prolific Australian first-class season with the bat.

Test incumbent No.6 Joe Burns is set to retain his spot according Fairfax. The Queenslander made twin half-centuries in his most recent Test against India at the SCG, and finished the season with 135 not out against the West End Redbacks.

And following a blistering World Cup that say him named in the official ICC Team of the Tournament, cricket.com.au believes Victorian allrounder Glenn Maxwell will earn a Test call-up.

Maxwell blasted the fastest hundred by an Australian in ODI cricket against Sri Lanka at the SCG, and combined with his more-than-handy off-spin provides the selectors and captain Michael Clarke a dual threat if selected.