Zampa cuts ties with Blues in surprise state switch

Australian white-ball star Adam Zampa has completed a shock state switch that will see him join Queensland for the coming domestic season.

Zampa, who has played two domestic matches over the past two seasons due to his international commitments, shifts his allegiance from his native NSW. The leg-spinner lives near Byron Bay on the northern coast of NSW, with the move allowing him greater flexibility and proximity for training.

It will be Zampa's third state after spending seven years with South Australia early in his career.

The 34-year-old is a nationally contracted player who is free to represent a state of his choice as he falls outside the domestic salary cap, with Cricket Australia today formally approving his move to Queensland where he will join forces with fellow leggie Mitch Swepson.

Test opener Jake Weatherald was the most recent CA-contracted player to switch states earlier this year, returning home to South Australia after three years with Tasmania.

Zampa is unlikely to challenge Swepson for red-ball opportunities however, with the Australian white-ball specialist having played just one first-class match in the past three seasons.

Zampa conceded in an interview with Cricinfo in April that his Test dream "kind of went away" when his missed selection for last year's Sri Lanka tour, and during his time with Blues he was cognisant of the impact any availability for his state had on younger spinners.

He selflessly sat out their One-Day Cup final triumph over Tasmania in March despite being available to allow 24-year-old Tanveer Sangha to play, who was the competition's leading wicket-taker last season.

Zampa, the world's fourth-ranked men's T20I bowler, joins fellow nationally contracted players Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser and Xavier Bartlett in the Bulls squad for the 2026-27 summer.

Bennett King, Queensland's new high performance boss, said Zampa was a valuable addition to the program.

"He is a world-class bowler, and his experience and insights will certainly benefit our group. We look forward to assisting him with his goal of continuing to represent Australia with distinction in the future," King said.

Zampa will link up with Queensland after his stint with London Spirit in England's Hundred. However, his opportunities to represent the Bulls during the first half of the summer will be limited due to Australia's ODI tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa in September, and home limited-overs series against England in November.

New Bulls head coach James Hopes also commenced his duties this week after wrapping up his Major League Cricket coaching commitments where he was an assistant for the Ricky Ponting-led Washington Freedom in the United States.