Steve O'Keefe

[Caesar]

24 wickets @ 22 last season
14 wickets @ 21 this season

Seriously, what's a bloke got to do to get a shot at selection? He's not even getting called into squads.

Fair enough Lyon is doing enough to hold the spot currently, but surely he'll be in the mix for the potential second spinning spot at the SCG?

 

[Bucking Beads]

Get a better action would be a start. Cant argue with his results though.

 

[Milenko]

Speaks volumes for the quality of our Shield batsmen more than anything

 

[KissKiss]

I've seen very little of him play but have always been surprised that he hasn't been looked at ahead of many other players. He at least has taken done very well statistically

 

[Caesar]

Get a better action would be a start.

What's wrong with his action, exactly? I do remember thinking it was a little low, but then I am not really very familiar with the mechanics of spin bowling and how everything affects everything else.

 

[The_Reaper]

He should be our second spinner. Much better bowler than Ahmed who hasn't impressed me at all.

 

[eth-dog]

What's wrong with his action, exactly? I do remember thinking it was a little low, but then I am not really very familiar with the mechanics of spin bowling and how everything affects everything else.

He's about 3-4 inches shorter than your Lyon's, Hauritz's, Agar's, Holland's and Doherty's so he doesn't get it above the batsmen's eyes as much as the others, and he doesn't get the flight or the bounce that would make him succeed at the top level. Very good FC bowler though.

 

[Zach Package]

What's wrong with his action, exactly? I do remember thinking it was a little low, but then I am not really very familiar with the mechanics of spin bowling and how everything affects everything else.

i've always thought he was a tad more round arm than you'd like in an ideal world, but he makes it work.

the main thing for me with the round arm action is you're not using all your height at the crease, which in comparison to a Lyon for example would mean there's less air in the ball, and then potentially less top spin which means less bounce and even curve.

I think he deserves a look in, although we seem to have a problem at the moment with a lot of guys sort of in the frame behind Lyon, but no one really screaming pick me.

 

[BarneyBent]

He's about 3-4 inches shorter than your Lyon's, Hauritz's, Agar's, Holland's and Doherty's so he doesn't get it above the batsmen's eyes as much as the others, and he doesn't get the flight or the bounce that would make him succeed at the top level. Very good FC bowler though.

Doesn't really need to. He's never been one to beat the batsman in flight, it's not his game. He's a master of varying his spin though, and knows when to do it. It's no coincidence the majority of his wickets are edges, bowled, or LBW.

Edit: That's not to say that flight isn't still important. It's just not his main weapon.

 

[The Passenger]

It's very questionable whether he would take it to another level.

Poor run up and low arm action, and not a big turner.

That being said he's got a great first class record and given some of the hacks who have been given a go it's hard to believe he hasn't at least been given a couple of tests to see what he could do.

Lyon is perfectly adequate for now I think though. SOK might get a game on a pitch that is suited for two spinners but that would be it. Lyon should and most likely will hold his spot to Agar or one of the young leggies -Muirhead and Zampa - show enough to displace him.

 

[King Elvis]

Didn't it come out a year or two ago that him and Clarke shared a pretty intense dislike of each other?

(Not trolling)

 

[MisterMarcus]

Didn't it come out a year or two ago that him and Clarke shared a pretty intense dislike of each other?

(Not trolling)

I thought it was allegedly him and Ponting? But yeah it was something to do with his "attitude" not impressing someone in a high place.

 

[bird_man]

Lyon's doing a better job than I'd imagine O'Keefe doing but he probably deserves to be next in line.

 

[King Elvis]

I thought it was allegedly him and Ponting? But yeah it was something to do with his "attitude" not impressing someone in a high place.

Nah, was Clarke, maybe the Katich connection as well?

Pretty sure it was discussed on here at the time.

 

[Outshined]

If we reduce it to a pure numbers game, it's bizarre he wasn't at least given a shot.

The fact Xavier Doherty got selected over him suggests either the selectors think he has a fundamental flaw which will stop him succeeding at international level, or he is disliked by the wrong people.

 

[dan warna]

been a big fan of o'keefe's results.
ATM lyon is doing everything right and being treated as rubbish by the selectors.

 

[the_interloper]

I thought it was allegedly him and Ponting? But yeah it was something to do with his "attitude" not impressing someone in a high place.

I think he just might be a bit of a half back flanker from what I've heard. Being a good bloke and toeing the line are some of the most important attributes you can have, it's why someone like Andrew McDonald was given every chance and why blokes like Hodge got treated so harshly.

 

[KissKiss]

I think he just might be a bit of a half back flanker from what I've heard. Being a good bloke and toeing the line are some of the most important attributes you can have, it's why someone like Andrew McDonald was given every chance and why blokes like Hodge got treated so harshly.

That would explain it, I have definitely been scratching my head for a year or 2 over why he hasnt been tried

 

[western royboy]

He was percieved by the inner sanctum as being a bit soft and more of a white ball bowler than a red ball bowler. His figures over the past 18 months would suggest that thinking is incorrect.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

He was percieved by the inner sanctum as being a bit soft and more of a white ball bowler than a red ball bowler. His figures over the past 18 months would suggest that thinking is incorrect.

Good lord, given his record in white ball cricket compared to the red ball you'd certainly hope not.

 

[The Speaker]

24 wickets @ 22 last season
14 wickets @ 21 this season

Seriously, what's a bloke got to do to get a shot at selection? He's not even getting called into squads.

Fair enough Lyon is doing enough to hold the spot currently, but surely he'll be in the mix for the potential second spinning spot at the SCG?

The question of who is second in line is one for which the answer will likely never be O'Keefe.

His average looks impressive, but I'm more concerned about his wicket-taking capacity. The only bowler to get less wickets from the same amount of matches last season was Botha. Agar got three less from four less matches. Ahmed got six less from six less matches.

 

[Caesar]

Perhaps that's just because NSW don't use him as much? He has a markedly better strike rate than both Agar and Ahmed.

 

[BarneyBent]

Perhaps that's just because NSW don't use him as much? He has a markedly better strike rate than both Agar and Ahmed.

Yeah, we often go in heavy on the bowlers/allrounders, so individual bowlers get less of a share of the overs. Plus, we've often played multiple spinners.

 

[The Speaker]

Perhaps that's just because NSW don't use him as much? He has a markedly better strike rate than both Agar and Ahmed.

I was using last season's stats alone - Agar and Ahmed both had a superior S/R.

And yes, he didn't bowl himself as much as other bowlers.

 

[Phone]

O'Keefe's S/R in the shield since 2010-11 is about 67, which I would consider larger than average S/R and which is perfectly in keeping with a spinner who seems to take a helluva lot of wickets through the ball that is delivered around the wicket, angled into the stumps, doesn't turn and the batsman misses. Unsurprising, it's a wicket taking delivery that can go through long dry spells (ie the 2011-12 season)