Australia's T20 form guide: Bowlers

The infrequency of international Twenty20 cricket often provides an air of uncertainty when two nations collide in the game's shortest format.

For some players it could be hours between fixtures, for others it could be years. But with the emergence of domestic tournaments scattered across the globe, there is often no shortage of T20 cricket available to those who are keen, and have the necessary skills.  

In order to take some of the guess work out of what to expect from Australia in their three-match T20 international series against South Africa, which starts on Friday in Durban, here's a rundown of Australia's bowlers.

Ashton Agar

Image Id: ~/media/8185618E04ED46E0B9EC8B662B86674C Image Caption: Agar in the field for the Scorchers during the BBL // Getty

ICC T20I bowling ranking: N/A

Last 10 innings

22/01/16 – 0-15 (2), Scorchers v Stars, MCG

16/01/16 – 0-4 (1), Scorchers v Stars, WACA Ground

10/01/16 – 2-38 (4), Scorchers v Hurricanes, Bellerive

05/01/16 – 1-12 (2), Scorchers v Strikers, Adelaide Oval

21/01/15 – 1-42 (4), Scorchers v Stars, MCG

11/01/15 – 1-27 (4), Scorchers v Hurricanes, Bellerive 

08/01/15 – 0-23 (3), Scorchers v Heat, WACA Ground

06/01/15 – 2-24 (6), Scorchers v Strikers, Adelaide Oval

01/01/15 – 1-26 (3), Scorchers v Thunder, WACA Ground

29/12/14 – 0-22 (2), Scorchers v Sixers, SCG

Average: 29.13

Best match: 2-24, Scorchers v Strikers, Adelaide Oval

Rod Marsh said Agar was the last man chosen in Australia's World T20 squad, and it's clear why: the 22-year-old is the ultimate utility cricketer. A naturally gifted athlete, Agar is a supreme fielder, an aesthetically pleasing batsman who is consistently improving with each innings, and a wily left-arm spinner who uses subtle variations to dupe his victims. That's a lot of bases covered.

What is of slight concern is the amount of T20 bowling Agar has done recently. In the KFC Big Bash League this summer, the lissom lefty bowled in only four matches for the Perth Scorchers, taking three wickets at 23. While he conceded 7.7 runs per over – neither cheap or expensive in T20 cricket – it appears Agar as the all-round package was chosen, not just the two-Test spinner. To rubber stamp that theory, Agar crashed a 34-ball 68 against the Thunder, clocking nine boundaries – four of them going over the fence. 

Josh Hazlewood

Image Id: ~/media/8D4621706DBA4698986D0BF120220D54 Image Caption: Hazlewood during the recent ODI series against NZ // Getty

ICC T20I bowling ranking: N/A

Last 10 innings

05/02/14 – 1-41 (4), Sixers v Scorchers, SCG

31/01/14 – 4-30 (4), Australia v England, MCG

29/01/14 – 0-46 (4), Australia v England, Bellerive

25/01/14 – 1-30 (4), Sixers v Thunder, Homebush

18/01/14 – 1-22 (4), Sixers v Renegades, Docklands

15/01/14 – 2-25 (3), Sixers v Hurricanes, SCG

10/01/14 – 1-36 (4), Sixers v Scorchers, WACA Ground

05/01/14 – 3-16 (4), Sixers v Strikers, Adelaide Oval

02/01/14 – 1-43 (4), Sixers v Heat, Gabba

29/12/15 – 3-20 (4), Sixers v Stars, SCG

Average: 18.18

Best match: 4-30, Australia v England, MCG

Australia's Test spearhead, Hazlewood is the No.8 five-day bowler in the world according to the official ICC rankings. He's also a 50-over World Cup winner, and has a five-wicket haul in ODI cricket against a supreme South African side, claiming the scalps of Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis and the incomparable AB de Villiers. But in the shortest format of the game, the Bendemeer-born quick has gone missing.

Image Id: ~/media/78C5336A8E8A4A278EDFD5FD95F83DE7 Image Caption: Hazlewood sends one down in the nets // Getty

His last match in T20 cricket was more than two years ago, a BBL semi-final loss to the Scorchers where he took 1-41 from four overs. That's not to say he's not effective in the format. In his last 10 matches, he's taken 18 wickets at 18 – outstanding numbers for a T20 bowler. While he might not have the tricks of a James Faulkner or Andrew Tye, Hazlewood relies on acute accuracy and a deceptive bouncer to be successful. 

Nathan Coulter-Nile

Image Id: ~/media/DF208729EEC9451B904A200B8CBF44EA Image Caption: Coulter-Nile in action for the Scorchers // Getty

ICC T20I ranking: 51st

Last 10 innings

21/12/15 – 1-18 (3), Scorchers v Strikers, WACA Ground

31/08/15 – 1-24 (4), Australia v England, Cardiff

09/05/15 – 2-25 (4), Delhi v Hyderabad, Raipur

05/05/15 – 2-30 (4), Delhi v Mumbai, Mumbai

03/05/15 – 1-38 (4), Delhi v Rajasthan, Mumbai

01/05/15 – 4-20 (4), Delhi v Punjab, Delhi

26/04/15 – 0-30 (4), Delhi v Bangalore, Delhi

23/04/15 – 1-36 (4), Delhi v Mumbai, Delhi

20/04/15 – 1-30 (4), Delhi v Kolkata, Delhi

18/04/15 – 1-26 (4), Delhi v Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam

Average: 19.79

Best match: 4-20, Delhi v Punjab, Delhi

With the absence of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins through injury, Coutler-Nile leads the pace pack as its fastest bowler. Like Agar, Coulter-Nile is an all-in-one T20 player – explosive with the bat, the ball and in the field.

Image Id: ~/media/DCB15FE624574D39B02C5D454923E7D1 Image Caption: Coulter-Nile playing for the Scorchers in the BBL // Getty

The biggest hurdle facing the Scorchers speedster is match practice. A shoulder injury has meant he has played only two matches – a Sheffield Shield game for Western Australia and a lone T20 for Perth – in the past four months. He's looked trouble free at training so far on this tour and captain Steve Smith says all 15 players are available for selection, so we'll see the athletic quick at some point in the series.

Andrew Tye

Image Id: ~/media/AEFBE09971244009B2936AAA70BAF492 Image Caption: Andrew Tye made his international debut this summer // Getty

ICC T20I ranking: N/A

Last 10 innings

31/01/16 – 0-51 (4), Australia v India, SCG

29/01/16 – 1-28 (4), Australia v India, MCG

22/01/16 – 0-29 (3), Scorchers v Stars, MCG

16/01/16 – 2-25 (4), Scorchers v Stars, WACA Ground

10/01/16 – 1-32 (4), Scorchers v Hurricanes, Bellerive

07/01/16 – 3-22 (4), Scorchers v Thunder, Homebush

05/01/16 – 0-32 (4), Scorchers v Strikers, Adelaide Oval

02/01/16 – 2-21 (4), Scorchers v Sixers, WACA Ground

30/12/15 – 1-25 (4), Scorchers v Renegades, Docklands

26/12/15 – 3-23 (4), Scorchers v Heat, WACA Ground

Average: 22.15

Best match: 3-22, Scorchers v Thunder, Homebush

Bowling in Twenty20 cricket can be more about preventing runs than taking wickets, with often a bowler who can tie up an end and limit boundary balls the most effective. Tye fits that mould, but has the handy knack of picking up wickets to boot.

His biggest strengths are honing in yorkers at the death and fooling batsmen with his signature 'knuckle' ball. The delivery is bowled with the same arm speed as normal, but instead of dragging his fingers down the back of the ball, his index and middle finger curl behind the projectile to allow it to float down the wicket. It's hard to pick and even harder to judge, as the ball, with no back-spin, bounces unpredictably off the pitch. While Australia might lack new-ball penetration, they've got the death overs well and truly covered.

Adam Zampa

Image Id: ~/media/8613F5E268A6494CAF47878ECA2736A5 Image Caption: Zampa made his international debut on the tour of NZ // Getty

ICC T20I ranking: N/A

Last 10 innings

24/01/16 – 2-32 (4), Stars v Thunder, MCG

22/01/16 – 1-22 (4), Stars v Scorchers, MCG

16/01/16 – 2-16 (4), Stars v Scorchers, WACA Ground

14/01/16 – 2-31 (4), Stars v Heat, MCG

09/01/16 – 1-35 (4), Stars v Renegades, Docklands

06/01/16 – 2-18 (4), Stars v Hurricanes, MCG

02/01/16 – 0-30 (3), Stars v Renegades, MCG

27/12/15 – 1-23 (4), Stars v Sixers, SCG

20/12/15 – 1-27 (3), Stars v Thunder, MCG

18/12/15 – 0-36 (4), Stars v Strikers, Adelaide Oval

Average: 22.50

Best match: 2-16, Stars v Scorchers, WACA Ground

He left his run late, but Zampa's solid returns in his first two matches for Australia – two ODIs against New Zealand last month – and a strong season for the Melbourne Stars got the leg-spinner a ticket to India. While he's been firing them down in recent times, Zampa is not afraid to give the ball some air and entice the big shot down the ground. With spin set to play a big role in the World T20, the uncapped leggie will carry a heavy burden on the subcontinent. Fortunately for Australia, he thrives on the big stage. The 23-year-old is also no mug with the bat, and has shown his willingness to do just about anything to get a wicket, whether he means it or not (see below).