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Summary Jon Holland is one of the two best spinners in Australia at the moment: selector John Inverarity.
The problem is getting a chance to prove it.Jon Holland toured England with Australia A, but has bowled only ten overs in the first two Sheffield Shield matches this season.Although Nathan Lyon remains the front-runner for the spin position in Australias squad for the first Test against South Africa early next month, the pressure will build on Lyon if Holland piles up the wickets over the next fortnight.That can only happen if Victorias world-class pace attack led by James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, John Hastings and Clint McKay dont skittle opposition teams.And at the moment, theyre making batsmen from all over the country look like Chris Martin.That has created a selection dilemma for Victoria, who must also squeeze Andrew McDonald back into the side after his return from the Champions League Twenty20.Inveraritys panel wants to see Holland given game time, especially after his strong performances during the Australia A tour of England during the winter. On that trip, Holland picked up ten wickets at 27.30 compared to Lyons eight at 48.75, which confirmed that he had jumped ahead of Michael Beer in the national queue.I think its fair to say that were of the view that the two best spinners weve got just at this moment are Nathan Lyon and Jon Holland, Inverarity said in Sydney on Tuesday.I saw [Holland] bowl in Adelaide last year in a one-dayer when he got 6 for 29 and he bowled beautifully.There was a variation in spin, a variation in pace and he flighted the ball, he bowled beautifully. We took him on the Australia A tour and he bowled very well.We all go through patches, and Lyon was in a bad patch in England and Holland outbowled him. But Lyon in Adelaide was bowling very differently to the way he bowled in England.Wickets have not been forthcoming for Lyon early in the Sheffield Shield season - he has two victims at 112.50 - but he remains the Test incumbent and appears likely to retain his place for now.But the glowing praise from Inverarity, who himself took 221 first-class wickets bowling left-arm orthodox, has given Holland heart that he is on the right track, and that an opportunity in the baggy green could come at any time.Its pretty good to hear that from the chairman of selectors for Australia, Holland told ESPNcricinfo.But Im more focused on playing for Victoria at the moment. If that comes along then so be it. But Nathan Lyon is bowling pretty well and hes done a good job with his opportunities. I dare say hes still in front.On the A trip he [Inverarity] was over in England, I spoke to him a few times there. Hes been pretty happy with the way I bowl, the way I go about things with my flight.He picked up something with my action in Brisbane on a pre-season camp, I was falling over a bit and my head was going to one side, he said to try and keep that as straight as possible.Every little piece of advice is a bonus for Holland, who at 25 has been on the domestic scene for four years, and on the minds of Australias selectors for most of that time.He was called up for Australias ODI tour of India in October 2009 but did not play a game, and has now had four stints at the Centre of Excellence in Brisbane, gradually developing his art.Its pretty important on Australian wickets that you do change your pace and your flight, because you dont get much help out of the wicket.Jon HollandInitially, his opportunities with Victoria were limited by the presence of the legspinner Bryce McGain, but over the past two years Holland has clearly been the Bushrangers frontline slow bowler.He is yet to take a first-class five-wicket haul, but that is not unusual for an Australian spinner on the cusp of a call-up - Nathan Hauritz and Nathan Lyon both claimed their maiden five-wicket hauls while playing Test cricket.Now his chances are dictated by the success of Victorias fast men. In the first two Sheffield Shield games this season, Holland was bowled a total of 10 overs and has taken 0 for 34.
