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Adam Zampa finally came good with leg-spin as Australia dismantled Sri Lanka by five wickets on Monday to end their two-game losing streak in the World Cup 2023. After returning match figures of 0/53 and 1/70 against India and respectively, Zamapa took four wickets for 47 in eight overs as Australia bowled out Sri Lanka for just 209 before finishing the chase inside 36 overs.
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The 31-year-old reflected on his form after his match-winning effort and admitted that he was below par in the first two matches of the World Cup.
“I’m very good at self-reflection. I look back on the first two games and I’ll probably look at the last game as one where I could have made a difference there and made it easy for those other guys,” Zampa said.
“But yeah, the Indian game, I mean, we’re under the pump defending 200 and I’m always going to be the guy who tries to get wickets. I’m not going to try and let the game peter out and let it go into nothing. So yeah, figures, whatever.”
The left-spinner, however, added that his aim is wickets and for that he is always ready to bowl attacking lines.
“It’s more about my attitude and reflecting on that too. Did I bowl the ball where I wanted it to? Did I make the right decisions? Did I put my game on the line to try and make a difference? And that’s how I think about it.
“I don’t really care about combined figures. It’s just doing what I can to try and help win the game,” Zampa added.
World Cup: Zampa architects Australia’s first win and Sri Lanka’s collapse
Against Sri Lanka as well Zampa had a poort strat, giving away 22 runs in first three overs before turning around his fortunes.
“It took me a lot longer than I wanted to get into the game today. Bowling to set batters as well, trying to build some pressure, I just wasn’t really able to do that.
“I won’t make any excuses. I think I should be good enough to kind of play that role as well.”
Zampan also revealed that he had suffered back spasms before the match and had to fitness test before the Sri Lanka match.
“I did a gym session a couple of nights ago and I don’t know if you’ve ever had a back spasm, but I was worse for over the last couple of days.
“I had to do a fitness test before the game today. Yeah, I felt like adrenaline was going to get me through and a bit of Panadeine Forte (medicine). It was a tough one to get through today, but as I said, one of those random ones that will wear off in the next day or so.”
Zampa praises Cummins
Skipper Pat Cummins had an inspiring performance against Sri Lanka as he dismissed openers Kusal Perera and Pathum Nissanka following a 125-run stand between them and produced a direct throw to send back Dunith Wellalage.
“I thought Cummins’ spell in particular was a bit of a game changer for us and even his energy in the field, the run-out after the rain break, yeah, it changed the energy for us.
“He kind of led from the front. His spell changed the momentum of the game. And then same as in the field, that run out, those little things can turn scores from 210 to 260, and it’s game on. So, he particularly led from the front,” Zampa said.
Australia now move to Bengaluru for their next match against Pakistan on Friday.
“After the first two games, there’s definitely a flat feeling in the change rooms. We all know that you could probably go from 1 to 11 and say we all could do our roles a little bit better, particularly those first two games.
“But we know, as boss (Cummins) said the other day, we get backed into a corner and guys step up and we get on a roll, then anything can happen. It’s a World Cup, so get on a roll.
“Obviously, really big game against Pakistan in Bangalore, and if we can put it all together and play a good game there, you go 2 and 2 and the feeling’s much better,” he added.
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