WI vs AUS | As a team we’ve talked about playing spin better, reveals Adam Zampa

Adam Zampa, ahead of the third ODI, admitted that spin has resulted in Australia’s undoing with the bat in the series, and revealed that there have been conversations about playing the slower bowlers better. Zampa believes that the third ODI is an opportunity for batters to apply themselves.

Regardless of the conditions, playing spin has been Australia’s kryptonite in the shortest format, and it is what cost them the T20Is against the Windies, with both Hayden Walsh Jr. and Fabian Allen running riot. However, this time around, it has also carried over to the ODIs, with them losing 11 of the 19 wickets in the series to the spinners.

After Walsh Jr. wreaked havoc in the first game with a five-fer, it was Akeal Hosein’s turn in the second, with the left-armer ripping through the middle-order. The bowlers bailed Australia out in the first game, but that was not the case in the second, with their struggles against spin proving to be costly enough to lose the encounter.

Ahead of the third and final ODI, Adam Zampa revealed that the batters have had conversations about playing spin better, and believes that the third ODI will be a chance for Australia to right the wrongs. 

“There has been a bit of discussion about playing spin better,” Adam Zampa told cricket.com.au.

“Losing early wickets doesn’t help and the left-arm spinner (Hosein) bowled really well. ‘Kezza’ (Carey) may have played over the top of one, which can happen but which he doesn’t usually do. ‘AT’ (Turner) got a ripper of a ball.

“Towards the back end of the innings we milked the spinners a bit better, trying to get through their spells … We’ve got one more opportunity to apply ourselves a bit better.”

Stand-in skipper Alex Carey, meanwhile, revealed that the third ODI could potentially see the return of left-arm spinner Ashton Agar.  Agar has sat out the last five matches in the tour after tweaking his hamstring in the 2nd T20I, but Carey believes that the Western Australian could add a lot of batting and bowling firepower to the side, particularly with spin dominating proceedings.

“Ashton’s batting has been brilliant while we’ve been over here, in terms of his preparation. He’s always wanting to score more runs,” Carey said.

“We saw with the job Starc did yesterday, we saw the job (Wes) Agar did yesterday and Zampa did yesterday … in these conditions anyone can fill a role and do a good job of it.

“Seeing what the spin impact was not only last game, but in the first (game) … he’s is definitely an option and someone we’re looking at.”

Another name that could feature in the final ODI, according to Carey, is veteran Dan Christian. The 38-year-old all-rounder has not played List A cricket in over four years, but Carey hinted that the seasoned campaigner, on Monday, could potentially play his first ODI since 2014.

“He (Christian) offers a lot of experience. We might talk about him not playing one-day cricket for a while but there’s a wealth of knowledge, he’s played a lot of cricket. He’s playing lots of cricket at a high level. We have still got options.”

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