'Do it my way': Proud Zampa reflects on century milestone

Adam Zampa plays down any mention of being a white-ball great, but cricket is a numbers game and his put him among the best.

Ninety-nine one-day internationals into a decorated career, Zampa's numbers are comparable to the great Shane Warne, with a strike rate slightly better (30.7 to 36.3) and average just a few runs per wicket higher (28.05 to 25.73).

While his wickets tally (currently 169) will likely never reach Warne's mark (293 from 194 ODIs) as the leading Australian men's 50-over spinner due to the fewer ODIs played now compared to previous decades, his rate of 1.7 scalps per match is above that of the legendary leg-spinner (1.5).

But like Warne, whose back-to-back performances in the 1999 World Cup semi-final and final will live long in the memory, along with his 4-36 to swing the 1996 semi against West Indies, Zampa's true greatness isn't measured by his numbers alone.

Dropped twice during the ODI World Cup in 2019, Zampa is now regarded by captain Mitch Marsh as his side's "most important player".

Since that tournament, Zampa has emerged at the most prolific limited-overs men's international bowler with 192 wickets across 121 one-day and T20 appearances.

But it's been his performances in clutch moments that sets him apart, delivering in both of Australia's recent World Cup triumphs with a team-high 13 scalps in the 2021 T20 tournament and the most of any spinner (23) in the 2023 ODI showpiece.

Notably, with Australia staring down the barrel of three straight losses to start the 50-over tournament in India last year, Zampa bowled through back spasms to snare four Sri Lankan wickets to turn the match.

He took four more against Pakistan and again against Netherlands in the two games that followed to help put their campaign back on track.

He then delivered a defining performance to sink England in Ahmedabad, rating it post-match as the "most satisfying" ODI he'd played, as his crucial 29 runs and 3-21 – the most economical 10-over spell of the tournament – put Australia on the verge of the semi-finals.

Outside of the team success he's enjoyed, the 32-year-old counts his ability to seize his chance when external voices were "gunning" for him as his most satisfying individual achievement.

Zampa has been irreplaceable since Australia's previous white-ball tour of England during the Covid pandemic in 2020, where he captured the most wickets (13) of any bowler across the three ODIs and three T20Is to help cement his place as the nation's number one limited-overs spinner.

"I've played with a lot of absolute greats of the game, and when you're not and you're someone like me, you get a window and you have to make the most of it," Zampa told cricket.com.au at the beginning of this year's UK tour.

"Every time I've been in that situation, I've made the most of it.

"There's been times where I've been in and out of the team, and there's been times where they could have gone me or someone else, and I've nailed that opportunity.

"So ever since then (2020), I've felt really confident in my ability, I feel backed by the coaches these days (and) captains give me free rein to try and get wickets and do it my way, and that's made me feel really comfortable in this team."

On Thursday (9.30pm AEST), Zampa will become the 32nd Australian man to play 100 one-day internationals for his country. After Warne and Brag Hogg, he's just the third specialist spinner to do so.

Sharing the moment at Trent Bridge will be his wife Harriet, son Eugene and parents Darren and Alison, who have made the trip over for this tour.

"I'm really proud to get to 100 ODIs, I never expected that I'd play this much for Australia," Zampa said.

"When you look at the amount of games that people play in ODI cricket these days, not that many get to 100, especially compared to guys in the past; in the 1990s and early 2000s there was definitely a lot more ODI cricket and no T20s.

"I'm getting close to 200 internationals altogether (191), so I never expected to play this much, that's for sure."

A "laid back" and "happy go lucky" character off the field, teammates describe a fierce competitor with an unwavering determination to win games for his country once he crosses the boundary rope.

Zampa says winning for Australia is something he holds above all else, withdrawing from the Indian Premier League earlier this year to ensure he was primed for Australia's T20 World Cup tilt in June, as well as their ongoing tour of England.

Speaking in Nottingham ahead of his 100th appearance in the five-match ODI series opener, Zampa said the drive to win World Cups remained with another T20 edition just 18 months away.

"The feeling of playing for your country and winning for your country beats playing franchise cricket and winning franchise cricket," said Zampa, adding that while he didn't believe it would be possible in English or Australian conditions, he still had the desire to play Test cricket too.

"I experienced The Hundred (for 2024 champions Oval Invincibles) and it was great, I loved playing it and winning at the end was a bonus.

"But it's different when you play for you country and when you win World Cups, and I've still got that drive to win many more."

Qantas Tour of the UK 2024

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Australia T20 squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood (England games only), Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Riley Meredith, Matt Short (England games only), Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

September 4: Australia beat Scotland by seven wickets

September 6: Australia beat Scotland by 70 runs

September 7: Australia beat Scotland by six wickets

September 11: Australia beat England by 28 runs

September 13: England beat Australia by three wickets

September 15: Match abandoned

Australia ODI squad: Mitch Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa. Reserve: Mahli Beardman

September 19: First ODI v England, Trent Bridge, Nottingham, 9.30pm AEST

September 21: Second ODI v England, Headingley, Leeds, 8pm AEST

September 24: Third ODI v England, Riverside, Chester-le-Street, 9.30pm AEST

September 27: Fourth ODI v England, Lord's, London, 9.30pm AEST

September 29: Fifth ODI v England, County Ground, Bristol, 8pm AEST