Standout Dukes swing kings revealed

A close look at the leading bowlers with the Dukes ball over the last two Sheffield Shield seasons suggests two standout performers may be in contention for a spot in Australia's Test squad for the Ashes later this year.

The English Dukes ball will be used for the final four matches of the JLT Sheffield Shield season, meaning some of Australia's best seamers will get the chance to enhance their credentials with strong performances.

The same Dukes ball has been used after the Christmas break over the past two Shield seasons and the statistics from those matches make for intriguing reading.

Experienced pair Chris Tremain and Daniel Worrall have been the clear standouts during that window, collecting 75 wickets between them and both playing integral roles in the success of their respective states, Victoria and South Australia.

Tremain has taken 44 wickets with the English ball but has also shown he is equally adept with the Kookaburra – only teammate Scott Boland has more Shield scalps than him this season.

Tremain was in Australia's squad for the first two Tests of the summer against India, but was released prior to the second Test in Perth as Western Australia quick Jhye Richardson overtook him with impressive performances later in the summer.

But Tremain's stats with the Dukes ball should hold him in good stead, with the 27-year-old in the mix to feature on the Australia A tour of England during the middle of the year.

Worrall sits just behind Tremain with 43 wickets using the Dukes ball over the last two Shield seasons, although the right-armer is battling a back problem and will have a stint on the sidelines before he returns to red ball cricket.

Worrall, also 27, has been mentioned as an Ashes contender by former Test quicks Jason Gillespie and Mitchell Johnson and his performances with the swinging Dukes in recent times certainly helps his case.

The next best performers with the Dukes are Trent Copeland, Simon Mackin and Michael Neser (all three have taken 34 wickets with it over the last two Shield seasons), while perhaps the most interesting contender is an impressive left-arm quick who has emerged as something of a Dukes specialist.

South Australian paceman Nick Winter also has 34 wickets with the Dukes ball but all his scalps came from summer, having not made his Shield debut until February last year.

Winter has captured 11 wickets at 48.27 this Shield season, but he recently picked up figures of 8-58 for South Australia with the Dukes ball in their Toyota Futures League clash against Queensland at Allan Border Field.

His efforts caught the eye of many last season and Gillespie also recently mentioned the inexperienced quick as a smoky for the Ashes that may be considered by selectors for the Australia A tour.

"Last year, if you remember, (Winter) only played half the Shield season and he played it with the Dukes ball and was runner-up Shield player of the year," Gillespie said recently on The Unplayable Podcast.

"If you are picking pure horses for courses, he could come into the conversation.

"I sense that Cricket Australia will probably take him on the (Australia A tour that precedes the Ashes) or they will encourage him to go and play League cricket in England.

"There's potential he might be ready should they feel conditions would suit."

All six Sheffield Shield teams are back in action after the KFC Big Bash break on Saturday.

MOST SHEFFIELD SHIELD WICKETS WITH DUKES BALL

Chris Tremain – 44 wickets at 20.8

Daniel Worrall - 43 at 24.4

Trent Copeland - 34 at 31.9

Simon Mackin - 34 at 27.1

Michael Neser - 34 at 22.9

Nick Winter - 34 at 19.7