Warne's tip Swepson is his own man

Mitchell Swepson was picked in the Test squad after playing 14 first-class matches © Cricket Australia/Getty Images

Mitchell Swepson‘s media minders avoided the temptation to have him pose for the cameras in front of the Shane Warne statue outside the MCG on Sunday. When the 23-year-old spoke of his inclusion in Australia’s squad to tour India next month this proved to be a wise move, for there is more to Swepson’s story than Warne’s giant shadow.

While grateful for Warne’s advocacy over the past few weeks leading up to the selection panel’s decision to send him with Steven Smith’s team, Swepson is neither a pupil of Australia’s most prolific wicket-taker nor a clone of his bowling method. Instead Swepson has built and trusted his own technique through a brief career that has already taken him a long way in a shorter space of time than he expected.

“I never really modelled my bowling on anyone,” Swepson said. “I have looked at footage from Shane Warne bowling but more as a fan. I love watching that sort of thing, I love watching videos of Brett Lee bowling 160kph

“I see myself as a standard leggie who likes to rip the ball. I’ve always been taught since I was a youngster bowling legspin to give the ball a good rip. You’ll go for a few runs, you’ll bowl some pump, but if you give yourself a chance to spin the ball hard and get the ball to talk through the air that’s how you’ll get your wickets. That’s how I go about it. I know I’ll go for runs and bowl some poor balls, but if I get the wickets that’s what I’m looking for.”

Other influential figures in Australian cricket have been watching Swepson closely for some time, helping accelerate his progression through the ranks in a manner reminiscent of the young Warne or, more recently, Nathan Lyon. The selection chairman and former legspinner Trevor Hohns hails from the same Brisbane grade club, doubtless helping to forge a familiarity that contributed to Swepson’s starts for Queensland, Brisbane Heat and last year Australia A.

“When I first got picked for the Shield team I didn’t think I was ready, sort of got thrown in the deep end there,” Swepson said. “Same thing when I made my BBL debut I didn’t think I was ready.

“But it’s part of the game, if you get the opportunity it’s about taking it. I wasn’t expecting to be in a Test squad touring India, but it’s gone well for me being thrown in the deep end so far in my short career, so I’m really looking forward to any opportunity I can get over there and hopefully grab it with two hands.”

Time in India and Sri Lanka last year with the national performance squad has allowed Swepson to gain some appreciation for what to expect, and also earn the respect of the national captain Smith, among others. Strong displays at home against India A in the spring also offered him some insights into the ways of Indian batsmen. He is aware that the Australian way must be significantly reshaped in the subcontinent, and also that any spin bowler’s resilience will be sorely tested by players raised against the turning ball.  

“There’s a lot to the way you have to go about your bowling over there,” he said. “It’s a lot different to bowling here in Australia, you’ve got to have your wits about you, got to have variation, change of pace, you’ve got to do a lot of things differently. I feel like the fact I’ve been over there and tested the waters a bit will help me to hit the ground running.

“I take it as a challenge as a legspinner. Any cricketer should want to challenge themselves against the best; looking ahead to India in India against players like Virat Kohli, the best players of spin in the world, what better challenge could you want? It’ll be awesome to go over there and test yourself against the toughest opponents.”

That kind of attitude has been fostered by another man influential on Swepson’s young career: Brisbane Heat captain Brendon McCullum. “As a captain on the field he’s such a calming influence,” Swepson said. “It’s pretty easy to get soaked up in the BBL, the crowds and the pressure and all that, but to have someone like that standing at short cover next to you when you’re bowling is pretty cool.

“He loves a joke, loves a laugh loves a punt, brings in the field when maybe you shouldn’t. He finds a way to make you relax as a bowler and that’s what he’s helped me with.”

So as much as Warne’s voice has been loud in support, there have been plenty of others in Swepson’s corner. Should he prove a success, all will be due credit for helping him along the way.

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Source: ESPN Crickinfo