Matt Kuhnemann is already Australia’s most successful left arm orthodox spinner in Sri Lanka, and he has been hailed as the visitors’ “best bowler” in the series by teammate Nathan Lyon.
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When the fourth day’s play begins on Sunday afternoon, Kuhnemann will be closing in on a second five-wicket haul of the tour as he has snared four wickets already in the host’s second innings.
The home side are 8-211 with a lead of 54 runs and the Australians will be looking to wrap things up as quickly as possible to secure a series whitewash in Sri Lanka for the first time since 2004 with Kuhnemann at the forefront.
The Queenslander who ventured south to Tasmania ahead of the current summer has captured 16 wickets at 16.50 across the two Tests so far, topping the wicket taking charts for the series.
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Left arm tweakers have stood at the top of the tree in every contest for the Warne-Muralitharan trophy in the island nation since the latter retired, albeit it has never been an Australian until now.
Prabath Jayasuriya and Rangana Herath tormenting Australian batting line-ups led to selectors searching far and wide for a similar type of player in a baggy green, and they have finally found their man.
Jon Holland was the previous leading wicket taker among Australian left arm spinners in Sri Lanka with five wickets in his two Tests in 2016, as the Australians have opted for right-arm off spinners like Lyon, as well as leg spinners Shane Warne, Stuart MacGill and Mitchell Swepson to shoulder their spinning load more often than not on previous tours.
It took Kuhnemann just one innings to match Holland, and he has flown past him to erode a little bit of the cheek in teammate’s calling him ‘Jaddu’ after Indian superstar Ravindra Jadeja.
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The 28-year-old has played only five Tests, making his debut in India two years ago, and he looked unlikely to feature in this series after breaking his thumb bowling for the Brisbane Heat.
But Lyon, who took his 550th Test wicket on Saturday, is confident Australia have found the right bowler to spearhead future Asian endeavours, including a five-Test tour of India in two years’ time.
“Kuhny has been exceptional, and he deserves all the praise that he gets,” Lyon said. “The way he broke his thumb three weeks ago and to show the courage to come out here and bowl, I know it’s hurting him, but he’s there, he’s shown a lot of courage and he’s bowling exceptionally well.
“He just keeps telling me he’s a Queenslander and they’re built differently apparently … even though he plays for Tasmania.
“He’s bowling his best ball over and over and challenging guys’ defence, and that’s all we can ask. I’m extremely proud, especially given the Test matches he’s played, for him to take 16 wickets thus far in this series, and there’s still a couple left out there. I think he’s been our best bowler.”
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Kuhnemann has had an excellent mentor in the form of Australian assistant coach and New Zealand great Daniel Vettori.
The former left arm spinner captured 362 Test scalps for the Black Caps, and the pair working closely together, plus Kuhnemann’s change of states to receive more Sheffield Shield opportunities after Queensland’s reluctance to play him and Swepson in the same side, have been the secrets to his success.
“One of the big changes for him was moving to Tasmania and getting a lot more opportunities to bowl in conditions that encourage spin a little bit more and being the frontline spinner,” Vettori said. “So he’s taken that role on and I think come into the group more confident in his skills.
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“The fact he’s been able to battle through that injury and turn up and compete with everything, it doesn’t even look like he’s broken his thumb. Then his consistency and repeatability, that’s stepped up from the last time.
“I think he still bowled a lot of wicket-taking balls in that series in India, but I think he’ll admit that at times he probably let them off with missing length occasionally, but this time he’s been relentless the whole time.”
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