With Shane Watson dropped and question marks over Mitchell Starc’s fitness, the Australians may soon be short of bowling options as the Ashes series progresses.

Should that be the case and should spin begin to play a more significant part in the destination of the famous urn then perhaps head coach Darren Lehman should look no further than East Molesey Cricket Club for the answer to his prayers.

Overseas player Adam Zampa, tipped by many to be the new Shane Warne, has been tearing up Surrey Championship Division One to the tune of 42 wickets in just 10 league matches.

The 23-year-old South Australia and Melbourne Stars man came to the UK this summer on the off chance he may get an Ashes call after being unlucky to miss out on a place in the Aussies’ original touring party.

His latest exploits of 6-55 helped East Molesey to a 25-run victory over promotion rivals Malden Wanderers on Saturday to move skipper Sam Burge’s men up to second in the table.

Wanderers’ Will Riley’s four wickets had helped hold the Moles to 90 for seven, but Adam Westphal’s 37 in a 66-run eighth wicket stand proved decisive as they reached 176 all out.

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Nearly, but not quite: East Molesey’s Andrew Westphal rode his luck in a decisive 66-run eighth-wicket stand at Malden Wanderers on Saturday     All pictures: SP92381

The Stags’ looked firmly in control at 62 for two in reply, but Zampa engineered a late-afternoon collapse that mirrored his national side’s in the Cardiff Test match.

Wanderers’ collapsed to 109 for nine in losing seven wickets for just 31 runs and a last-wicket stand of 42 between Danny Murphy and teenage debutant Jack Morgan was not enough.

Wanderers captain James Wackett, who admitted the match was a missed opportunity for his men, said: “All in all, I’m hugely disappointed to have lost.

“But hats off to Zampa. He is exceptional.”