Adam Zampa receives apology from NSW over Sheffield Shield selection storm

Cricket NSW has apologised to Adam Zampa for publicly claiming that he had only been picked for a Sheffield Shield game against Tasmania last week due to a Cricket Australia directive.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Zampa received the apology by phone on Monday after headlines were made by public commentary from Cricket NSW directors Stuart Clark and Ed Cowan.

Zampa had controversially taken the place of Tanveer Sangha for the Shield game, leading to criticism from former NSW and Australia stars Mark Taylor and Brad Haddin. Cowan and Clark both then spoke publicly to defend the call by claiming it was Cricket Australia's doing - a claim CA has strongly refuted.

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"The problem I have with it … when it came to Adam Zampa, we didn't have a discussion because there was no need to – we were told he had to play," Clark, who is a NSW selector as well as being a director, said on ABC Radio.

Adam Zampa warms up ahead of the Sheffield Shield match between New South Wales and Tasmania. Getty

"Quite frankly, I don't understand what the comment of Cricket Australia is because we didn't need to have a robust debate about his selection. His selection was a foregone conclusion that he was in the team. I'm going to ask Lee Germon from Cricket NSW to clear up this by writing to Cricket Australia perhaps and put my board member's hat on because we don't understand this.

"What we were told to do, and what's coming out in the press, is exactly the opposite. They don't make sense. Either we, as selectors, have got it wrong – did we misunderstand? But I'm pretty clear because I've got messages that say Adam Zampa must be in the team and there is no point discussing his selection."

Zampa bowled 40 overs across the two innings of the Blues loss and reportedly pulled up well from the game, demonstrating that he is capable of playing long form cricket if selected. He took figures of 3-96 and 1-44.

The gun tweaker spoke to Cricket Et Al podcast this week, explaining from his perspective how the selection storm had been created.

"Four weeks ago I asked Bails [George Bailey] if I was a chance to go to Sri Lanka," Zampa said, referencing the two Test series that begins on January 29.

"Bails said 'yeah, of course.'

"So, I asked him, 'Do you want me to play Shield?' And he said, 'Yeah, if NSW pick you, then great, but if not [then], just play PM's XI, and if we take a leggy to Sri Lanka, then you're a chance.'

"So then I went to Maily [NSW head of cricket Greg Mail] and said, 'I'm available for Shield selection against Tasmania'. If they picked me, great. If not, I'd have the PM's XI game.

"Maily said, 'Yeah, we'll go full steam ahead, you're playing.'

"Bails has said to me all along, 'We can't push NSW to pick you – it's up to them'."

Adam Zampa of the Blues bowls during the Sheffield Shield match. Getty

Speaking in Adelaide on Tuesday, Test wicketkeeper Alex Carey backed Zampa, now 32, to transform from a white-ball specialist into an all format cricketer at international level.

"His cricket has just continued to improve," Carey said. "He's got to an age where he knows his game really well. I've kept to Adam out here for South Australia and he had some success.

"I haven't seen a lot of his longer-format bowling, just through how much he's had white ball, but if ever does get the opportunity to represent Australia in Test cricket, I think his game is just continuing to improve."

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