The cricket world is coming to grips with the fact Australia didn’t pick a specialist spin bowler for the SCG Test for the first time since 1888.
For the second straight match, fill-in skipper Steve Smith opted not to have Todd Murphy in the side and has instead taken an all-pace attack into the dead rubber Ashes finale.
Queensland leg spinner Mitch Swepson was never in consideration, but admits he is sad to see Murphy left out again.
“It sucks, mate. I won’t be careful (with my words), it sucks,” Swepson said after his BBL match on Sunday night.
“Being a spin bowler I am obviously biased but I think we’ve seen it for a while now, seen it coming in (Sheffield) Shield cricket.
Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Swepson. Getty
“We see less and less spin bowlers coming into games, particularly in certain parts of the country and I think that’s what we’re now seeing in the Test arena.
“You see greener wickets, you see seam be the main source of wickets and it’s such a shame because I think there’s a really good piece there, a spot for spin bowling in Test cricket.
“In other parts of the world it’s massive, it’s something I grew up on, watching Shane Warne around the wicket into pizzas (footmarks) at the SCG.
“…It would be nice to bring that back but the way it’s going, at the moment, it looks like we’re going further and further away from that with the wickets we’re producing.”
Swepson played four Tests for Australia in 2022 but hasn’t worn the baggy green since.