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Adam Zampa, the Australia legspinner, has signed for a second season with Essex in the Vitality Blast. He was the club's leading wicket-taker in 2018, although they managed just two wins and finished seventh in the South Group. The 26-year-old took 12 wickets in 10 Blast matches with an economy of 7.90 in his first taste of county competition. Zampa could well be involved in the 50-over World Cup, which will run May-July in England, and is then expected to be available for a full Blast campaign with Essex, including potential participation in the knockout stages. "I'm looking forward to getting back to Chelmsford and playing in front of that great crowd again," Zampa said. "We didn't perform to the levels we were capable of last year and that's something we all want to put right. The club and the fans deserve a good campaign and that's what we'll aim to deliver." The announcement of Zampa's return comes a few days after Essex signed Cameron Delport, the South African-born T20 specialist who qualifies for a UK ancestry visa, on a two-year contract. Zampa, who has experience of playing in the IPL, Big Bash League and Caribbean Premier League, was one of the few bright spots for Essex last season, as they failed to reach the quarter-finals for the second season running. Essex's head coach, Anthony McGrath, said: "We saw how talented Zamps is with the ball last year and he's one of the best legspinners around at the moment. He was excellent for us last season and he's a great lad to have around the changing room, so we're thrilled he's going to be back with us from July."
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