'Surprised' Swepson eager to become spin twin

Leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson is reaping the rewards of his extensive winter work with the spin bowling mentor that helped turn Nathan Lyon from groundsman to GOAT, with the duo looking to pair up at the New Year's Domain Test.

Swepson arrives in Melbourne today to join Australia's Test squad having been called up for the January 3 contest against New Zealand at the SCG, a venue that is noted for the assistance it offers spin bowlers.

Swepson said he was "a little bit surprised" to leap to the top of the queue to be Lyon's support act and credited his improved consistency with helping him earn a spot in the Test squad.

The 26-year-old spent the winter working with Lyon's mentor John Davison, now an assistant with the Queensland Bulls, and Cricket Australia's pathways program spin coach Craig Howard.

"I've been working on being a much more consistent bowler," Swepson said before flying out of Brisbane.

"I think every leg-spinner strives for that. It's tough to be nice and consistent as a leggie. But if you can get there it's a great asset to have to play that holding role as an attacking leg-spinner as most are.

"My consistency has been much better this year.

"For me it's about getting as much information as I can to help my bowling, and I put it upon myself to do that this pre-season and at the back end of last year when things weren't going so well.

"To go out and find that information and become a better bowler, the things I've worked on are working for me this year, and that's a good sign."

Davison was a long-term mentor of Lyon having first met a "wiry 18-year-old who bowled around himself a fair bit" in Canberra while working as a spin consultant for CA.

Lyon and Davison formed a strong bond that endures to this day, with the off-spinner describing him as "someone I trust a lot and (can) easily talk to about anything and everything".

"He’s very good at what he does and there’s trust and honesty there in our relationship and I think that’s the biggest key with coaches," Lyon told cricket.com.au back in 2015.

"If you can have an open and honest relationship but also have that trust in each other that we’re working for the same goal, working in the same direction, that’s the main thing."

Swepson has built a similar bond, and now dreams of being able to bowl in tandem with Australia's highest wicket-taking off-spinner.

"Gaz (Lyon) is the GOAT (greatest of all time), he's doing really well for the guys in that team," Swepson said.

"It's been a goal of mine to get to this position where I've got an opportunity to be the second spinner and partner with Gaz.

"Every spinner in the Shield competition wanted that spot and I'm glad I've been given this opportunity. If the chance comes to play with him that would be unbelievable."

After Trevor Hohns put a select group of spinners on notice that the hunt was on for an understudy to Lyon, Swepson has been finding time to bowl with the red Kookaburra ball between games for the Brisbane Heat in the KFC BBL.

"I was given some notice from Trevor there was an opportunity there and to make sure I was still bowling with red," Swepson said.

"I've had a couple of sessions through the Big Bash with the red and kept me prepared. I'm confident I've prepared very well."

Swepson's only previous experience at the SCG was Queensland's Marsh Sheffield Shield match there a fortnight ago.

"It was a little different to what I was expecting, it had a bit of green grass on it and seamed around a bit," he said today.

"It didn't break up as much as the Shield game before that (between NSW and Western Australia).

"I know it does do one or the other, we'll just have to wait and see what it's like (for the third Test).

"It's an amazing ground, a lot of history there. Hopefully I get the chance to play but if not, it's not the end of the world."

Domain Test Series v New Zealand

Australia squad: David Warner, Joe Burns, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Matthew Wade, Travis Head, Tim Paine (c, wk), Pat Cummins, Mitch Starc, Nathan Lyon, James Pattinson, Michael Neser, Mitchell Swepson

New Zealand: Todd Astle, Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Jeet Raval, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, BJ Watling, Neil Wagner, Kane Williamson (c)

First Test: Australia won by 296 runs in Perth

Second Test: December 26-30, MCG (Seven, Fox & Kayo)

Third Test: January 3-7, SCG (Seven, Fox & Kayo)