Leg-spinner hopeful niggle that put him under cloud for Sri Lanka match will wear off
'Worse for wear': Hobbled Zampa overcomes back spasms
Adam Zampa revealed he had to overcome a pre-match fitness test before inspiring Australia to their first win of the World Cup with a game-changing four-wicket spell against Sri Lanka.
Zampa had struggled to make an impact in Australia's opening two losses to hosts India and South Africa and again started slowly as Kusal Perera and Pathum Nissanka took him for 22 runs in his initial three-over burst.
But, along with captain Pat Cummins, the leg-spinner altered the course of the match the adrenaline kicked in following a "random" back spasm suffered during a gym session leading into the match.
"I was worse for wear the last couple of days," the 31-year-old said post-match. "It was a tough one to get through today.
"I felt like adrenaline was going to get me through and a bit of Panadeine Forte. But hopefully (it's) one of those random ones that will wear off in the next day or so."
As has been a common occurrence over the past month, Zampa was bowling to set batters when called upon by Cummins in the 14th over as Australia failed to take a wicket in the 10-over Powerplay for the seventh time in their past nine matches.
Discounting the three they took in the first two overs of their World Cup opener against India, the Aussies have only taken one Powerplay wicket since the second ODI against South Africa on September 9.
Implored to lift by Mitch Marsh after being "backed into a corner", the five-time champions rallied behind their skipper to swing the momentum of the match, a fighting spirit that had been largely absent for the better part of a month.
"We mentioned that out there," Zampa said.
"Obviously the first two games we'd known that we'd been a bit flat and then that happened again, they were none-for and the conversations around the drinks break … was to lift the energy a bit.
"I thought the fielders did a really good job of that, the ring kind of tightened up a bit and then 'Davey' (David Warner got) a couple of catches.
"Cummins' spell in particular was a bit of a game changer for us and even his energy in the field.
"The run out after the rain break changed the energy for us and then once I was able to get a couple, we got a bit of a roll and the energy changed in the group."
Zampa admitted it took him a little bit longer to find his rhythm due to the back spasm, but was able to put aside a tough start to the tournament.
He had returned 1-145 at 6.90 runs per over until halfway through Monday's match.
After Cummins removed both openers, Zampa ripped through with his second four-wicket haul in Indian conditions this year as Sri Lanka lost their last nine wickets for 52 runs to be all out for 209.
"I look back on the first two games and I probably look at the last game as one where I could have made a difference and made it easy for those other guys," Zampa said.
"But the Indian game, we we're under the pump defending 200 and I'm always going to be the guy who tries to get wickets.
"Bowling to set batters and trying to build some pressure, I just wasn't really able to do that.
"I won't make any excuses. I think I should be good enough to play that role as well but just it's taken me a lot longer to get into the game than I would have liked.
"The figures (are) 'whatever', it's more about my attitude and reflecting on did I bowl the ball where I wanted to, did I make the right decisions, did I put my game on the line to try and make a difference?
"It's a World Cup so you can get on a roll. Obviously, a really big game against Pakistan in Bangalore and if we can put it all together play a good game there, you go 2-2 and there's the feeling is much better."
Australia's 2023 ODI World Cup fixtures
October 8: Lost to India by six wickets
October 12: Lost to South Africa by 134 runs
October 16: Beat Sri Lanka by five wickets
October 20: v Pakistan, Bengaluru (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT
October 25: v Netherlands, Delhi (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT
October 28: v New Zealand, Dharamsala, 4pm AEDT
November 4: v England, Ahmedabad (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT
November 7: v Afghanistan, Mumbai (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT
November 11: v Bangladesh, Pune, 4pm AEDT
Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa
2023 World Cup standings
| Team | M | W | L | T | N/R | NRR | Ded. | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
IND
|
9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.57 | 0 | 18 |
|
2
SA
|
9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.261 | 0 | 14 |
|
3
AUS
|
9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.841 | 0 | 14 |
|
4
NZ
|
9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0.743 | 0 | 10 |
|
5
PAK
|
9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | -0.199 | 0 | 8 |
|
6
AFG
|
9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | -0.336 | 0 | 8 |
|
7
ENG
|
9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | -0.572 | 0 | 6 |
|
8
BAN
|
9 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | -1.087 | 0 | 4 |
|
9
SL
|
9 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | -1.419 | 0 | 4 |
|
10
NED
|
9 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | -1.825 | 0 | 4 |
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
PTS: Total points