Leg-spinner Swepson called up for Sydney Test

Mitchell Swepson is in the frame to make his Test debut in the Australia-New Zealand Domain series finale after the leg-spinner was called into the hosts' squad for the New Year's clash in Sydney.

Swepson, whose only international experience is a sole T20 against England last year, could join Nathan Lyon to form a two-pronged spin attack at the SCG where conditions often assist slow bowlers.

The Queenslander has taken 12 wickets at 26 in the Marsh Sheffield Shield this season and will join the Australia squad in Melbourne as the Boxing Day Test unfolds.

"Having Mitch in Sydney gives us the option to play two specialist spinners if the conditions demand," selection chief Trevor Hohns said. "We will make those assessments when we get to Sydney."

Swepson replaces unused squad member Peter Siddle, who has dropped out of the squad and will be released to play for the Adelaide Strikers in the KFC Big Bash.

"Having (Siddle) as the 13th man and his experience at the MCG has been invaluable," said Hohns. "His insights have greatly assisted the fast bowlers for this Test and it was great having him around the group."

Swepson, who took a Shield hat-trick last month and helped bowl the Bulls to a rare victory with seven wickets for the match at the MCG, pips the likes of Ashton Agar and Steve O'Keefe for the second spin berth in the Test squad.

Jon Holland played in Australia's two-Test series against Pakistan in the UAE last year, the most recent occasion they have fielded two specialist spin bowlers in the same XI, but recently underwent surgery for a chronic finger problem.

Among spinners, only Holland has taken more wickets than Swepson since the latter made his debut in 2015, while only O'Keefe has more (14) than Swepson's 12 victims after six rounds of this season's Sheffield Shield.

Swepson was included in Australia's squad for subcontinental tours of India and Bangladesh in 2017, though O'Keefe and Agar were picked ahead of him to partner Lyon during those Tests.

Having worked with spin legend Shane Warne in recent years, the 26-year-old told cricket.com.au last month he feels like he's become a better bowler since his initial taste of the top flight.

"I'm definitely more equipped, definitely more experienced," Swepson said. "They're looking for a guy to partner Nathan Lyon … I obviously want to put my hand up to be that person.

"Every spinner in state cricket wants to be that guy who can partner him. That's definitely a goal of mine.

"That (goal) is something I always have in my career in addition to just looking forward to the next opportunity to bowl … But I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a goal of mine for selectors to look at me as the second spinner."

Swepson will now be unavailable for at least the Brisbane Heat's New Year's Day clash against the Perth Scorchers at the Gold Coast's Metricon Stadium and their January 3 trip to Hobart to face the Hurricanes.

If not selected for the Sydney Test, he could return to the Heat line-up for the January 6 meeting with the Thunder in Sydney.

Domain Test Series v New Zealand

Australia squad: David Warner, Joe Burns, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Matthew Wade, Travis Head, Tim Paine (c, wk), Pat Cummins, Mitch Starc, Nathan Lyon, James Pattinson, Michael Neser, Mitchell Swepson

New Zealand: Todd Astle, Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Jeet Raval, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, BJ Watling, Neil Wagner, Kane Williamson (c)

First Test: Australia won by 296 runs in Perth

Second Test: December 26-30, MCG (Seven, Fox & Kayo)

Third Test: January 3-7, SCG (Seven, Fox & Kayo)