Selectors seize rare chance to boost spin stocks

Concurrent scheduling of Australia's men's ODI Series against Pakistan and a pair of Australia A first-class fixtures has presented a priceless opportunity for the nation's best up-and-coming spinners to further develop their craft.

Off-spinners Todd Murphy and Corey Rocchiccioli were both named in the 17-man Australia A squad to tackle India A, but they will not bowl in tandem and instead will individually join up with the ODI outfit to work closely with Australia men's spin coach Dan Vettori.

Murphy, who has made six Test appearances as Nathan Lyon's understudy, will play the first Australia A match in Mackay while Rocchiccioli is in Melbourne with the national squad to glean insights from former New Zealand spin great, Vettori.

Those roles will be reversed for the second Australia A game at the MCG when Rocchiccioli – last summer's leading wicket-taker for Sheffield Shield champions Western Australia – joins the starting XI with Murphy heading to Adelaide where the second ODI is scheduled for November 8.

"While they won't formally join the one-day squad, it's a chance for those guys to spend some time with Dan Vettori," national selection panel chair George Bailey told cricket.com.au today.

"It's just a really positive opportunity to get two of our up-and-coming and strongly performing first-class cricketers around a bloody good spin coach.

"Dan's obviously spent a fair bit of time with Murph (Murphy) on previous Australia tours but hasn't with Roc (Rocchiccioli), so it's a chance for those guys to develop a one-on-one relationship with one of the greats.

"It's one thing to be watching a guy bowling on a screen, but to be able to get to know them and spend some time with them face-to-face we see as some good value.

"And the schedules line up nicely for that."

The selection panel is also mindful the immediate playing commitments for Australia's men's team following the current home summer are in spin-friendly conditions in Asia – two Tests in Sri Lanka followed by the ICC Champions Trophy ODI tournament in Pakistan.

The overlap with the Australia A games and the three-match ODI series in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth also affords selectors a chance to further fast-track the development of spin-bowling allrounder, Cooper Connolly.

The 21-year-old, who made his ODI and T20I debuts for Australia on the recent white-ball tour of the UK, has been named in both the Australia A and ODI squads.

In addition to his left-arm orthodox spin, Connolly is a handy lower-middle order batter and a gun fielder who is tipped to slot into the role recently filled by WA teammate Ashton Agar, especially in white-ball competitions on the sub continent.

He will likely play alongside Murphy in the opening Australia A game at Mackay before joining the ODI squad in Melbourne and is expected to be part of Australia's outfit for the subsequent three-match T20I series against Pakistan in Brisbane, Sydney and Hobart.

Bailey said the specialist role filled by a Test spinner in Australian conditions was the reason why selectors had prioritised Murphy and Rocchiccioli's their involvement in the Australia A program ahead of others who may push for inclusion on more spin-friendly pitches in Asia.

"Mitchell Swepson, Tanveer Sangha and Matt Kuhnemann are three others who all come into calculations at different times, but for these A games we thought the off-spin or finger spin would be more important," Bailey said.

"If something was to happen to Nathan (Lyon) over the summer we feel like off-spin or finger-spin, that ability to control the tempo at different times, is quite important.

"That might not be the case when you go to different parts of the world, but that's certainly our thinking around matches in Australia."

Not only do the Australia A games coincide with the ODI series, the first game at Mackay (October 31-November 3) clashes with the third round of Sheffield Shield fixtures (November 1-4).

As a result, Australia A are set to field a fresh pace bowling attack in both games against India A with Mark Steketee, Jordan Buckingham and Fergus O'Neill tipped to share new-ball duties in the first match.

That will allow fellow squad members Scott Boland, Michael Neser and Nathan McAndrew to suit up for round two of the Shield then recover for the second Australia A game at the MCG where India A are rumoured as likely to field some of their Test stars.

"That flexibility with the quicks is to ensure we're mitigating against a three-day turnaround for them playing back-to-back matches at this stage of the season," Bailey said.

"There's sometimes Test schedules where that's the gap and bowlers have to get up, but we don't need to re-create that at Aussie A level.

"It's certainly not the intention of that (Australia A) program to put bowlers to the sword with detrimental effects to their performance, whether it be in Test cricket or Shield cricket, as the season goes on.

"And if you look at make-up of teams for those games, we've got Beau Webster in both of them who can provide some all-round overs, plus Connolly and (Nathan) McSweeney who can also both bowl some spin as well."

The Australia A squad also features two wicketkeeper-batters (Jimmy Peirson and Josh Philippe) as well as specialist openers Cameron Bancroft, Marcus Harris and Sam Konstas.

While nomination of a batting order is traditionally the domain of a team's captain and coach, it's likely Australia A skipper McSweeney will receive significant guidance from selectors and the national team brainstrust as to who bats where.

Given the current vacancy at the top of the Test list following Cameron Green's injury and Steve Smith's decision to revert to his previous role in the middle-order, it's expected Test-capped openers Bancroft and Harris will bat at the top for Australia A.

That would allow exciting 19-year-old Konstas to fill the number three berth in his first senior outing against international opponents, with Bailey keen to maintain perspective on the talented youngster's elevation to Australia A after just five first-class appearances.

"I think everyone's seen the same sorts of things when Sam bats," he said of the right-hander who posted centuries in each innings of New South Wales's opening Shield game against South Australia.

"There's lots to like but we're also conscious he's five games in, so I think Aussie A is a good recognition.

"Whether he actually opens the batting or bats at three I don't think is too important at this stage, it's more the exposure at that level."

Bailey indicated selectors had mulled the possibility of including white-ball opener Matt Short and allrounder Aaron Hardie in the Australia A squad for the first fixture in Mackay to provide them with some early-season red-ball exposure.

However, the absence of international regulars Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh (both on paternity leave) from the ODI campaign against Pakistan meant the replacement pair would likely be needed for much of that series.

The unusual confluence of international, Sheffield Shield and Australia A games over the same two-week period will also provide opportunities at state level for players who might previously found it tough to get a place in a starting XI.

Bailey understands the loss of almost 30 frontline players to Australia and Australia A outfits might stretch the resources of some state squads, but believes players will benefit from the greater challenges.

"We have been pushing for more Australia A cricket," he said.

"The exposure plus, whether it's real or not, the perceived extra attention and pressure will likely come with Aussie A representation against an opponent that you'd like to think will be strong, particularly in that second game at the MCG.

"We see the Aussie A games as being really important for us and for the next rung of players, and it doesn't detract from our focus on Shield cricket which remains vitally important.

"It's still a case of us looking at the whole lot over the journey."