Aussie star’s surprise state switch confirmed as cheeky Insta post reveals reason for move

Australian white-ball spinner Adam Zampa has joined Queensland for the upcoming domestic season, leaving his home state of New South Wales to join the Bulls.

It had been rumoured throughout the winter that Zampa, who lives near Byron Bay on the NSW north coast with his young family, was exploring a move to other side of Tweed River and it is now confirmed with Queensland announcing their new recruit on Thursday.

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“He is a world-class bowler, and his experience and insights will certainly benefit our group. We look forward to assisting him with his goal of continuing to represent Australia with distinction in the future,” Queensland’s new high performance boss Bennett King said.

Queensland will be the 34-year-old’s third state, having spent seven years with South Australia earlier in his career that has so far included taking 351 wickets across 239 ODIs and T2oIs.

Zampa teased the move north earlier this year by posting a tongue-in-cheek Instagram story about wanting to play for a new Big Bash franchise called the “Gold Coast Magic” alongside good friend and long-time national teammate Kane Richardson.

That cheeky post came off the back of the BBL privatisation push with Zampa’s future in the competition uncertain as he is currently having a free agent, having wrapped up his most recent deal with the Melbourne Renegades.

It has been tipped that Zampa could be on his way to the Brisbane Heat.

That would mean forming a leg spinning partnership with Mitchell Swepson in both T20 and one-day cricket.

Zampa is unlikely to push for Swepson’s Sheffield Shield spot given he played just one first class fixture for NSW in the last three years.

While he may not be a regular in maroon either as last season he played just two games for the Blues in one-day cricket.

That was largely due to international commitments and then Zampa decided to not take Tanveer Sangha’s place for the final, which NSW won against Tasmania in Hobart.

Australia’s white-ball squads tour Zimbabwe and South Africa in September before hosting England in November.

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Zampa is currently playing for the London Spirit in The Hundred and will link up with the Queensland squad, under new coach James Hopes, once he returns home from England.

Zampa will now mimic retired Brisbane Lions premiership player Joe Daniher, who lived in Byron Bay and commuted to Brisbane during the last years of his AFL career.

He also joins Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser and Xavier Bartlett as Cricket Australia contracted players in the Queensland squad.

While he becomes the second current Australian representative to switch states this off season after Test opener Jake Weatherald returned home to South Australia from Tasmania.

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