Published: Sep 15, 2015, 10:56 PM (IST)
Edited: Sep 15, 2015, 11:29 PM (IST)
The inclusion of left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe to partner off-spinner Nathan Lyon in Australia’s spin attack for Bangladesh tour is likely based on his exploits in the recent ‘A’ tour of India where he picked up 14 wickets in two ‘Tests’. The domestic veteran for New South Wales was helped in that endeavour by a training stint at the National Cricket Centre (NCC) in Brisbane, where a simulated pitch, to an extent, mimicked the dry, turning conditions in the subcontinent. O’Keefe also added variety to his armoury after observing the rewards gathered by Pakistan left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar in Australia’s mediocre tour of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) late last year. READ: Bangladesh vs Australia 2015: Steve O’ Keefe aided by time off from national duty
O’Keefe was drafted in the side for a Test, the first, in Dubai; he took four wickets for 219 in Australia’s 221-run loss. Babar, like him, took two wickets in the first innings (although at a much better economy rate), but made up for it with five wickets in the second innings. Babar followed this up with seven wickets in the next Test as well, in Abu Dhabi, to contribute significantly to Pakistan’s whitewash. O’Keefe observed him.
“Looking back on time I had in the UAE … their spinners bowled generally a lot flatter, tried to lock the batters on the crease and bowl with that rounder seam,” he explains. “So it’s hard as a batter to predict if the ball’s going to slide on or if it’s going to turn,” he told cricket.com.au. READ: Usman Khawaja excited with his selection for Bangladesh tour
“The game changes as well; as the ball gets softer it tends to spin more with the odd one sliding, and if the ball’s newer it tends to slide a bit more with the odd one spinning. I took a lot away from that; (Pakistan left-armer Zulfiqar) Babar had a lot of success against our batters and there had to be a reason why.”
O’Keefe claimed 28 wickets in the Sheffield Shield last season, saw his Victoria peer Fawad Ahmed lead the wickets tally 48 (Ahmed had played two more matches) and claim the second spinner’s spot ahead of him.
“Although I felt like I had a good year, to be able to press for spots in that Australian team you need to be performing outstandingly well and dominating Shield cricket and Fawad had done that really well.” READ: Bangladesh tour will show how good Australian domestic cricket is, says Brad Haddin
But it proved to be a blessing in disguise as O’Keefe developed his suitability to the subcontinent to be an all-round spinner capable of adjusting his bowling according to the track. A simulated wicket at the NCC helped him prepare for the ‘A’ tour, which in turn, established his suitability for the Bangladesh tour.
“To come up short (in the UAE) was disappointing, however if you try to grow from it and learn from it and keep looking forward then hopefully, as I do, you’ll look back on it as a positive experience.”
