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Skull Magic

OVP

Coach
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11,623
http://www.news.com.au/sport/cricke...d/news-story/8097bdb7250aa9459bd9abc3ff1d83fd

Steve O’Keefe, Shaun Marsh and James Faulkner slammed
April 26, 201710:19pm

THEY may share almost the same surname, but cricket legend Kerry O’Keeffe believes Australian spinner Steve O’Keefe is dead and buried as a Test player.

Despite his record breaking efforts on the recent tour of India, the New South Wales tweaker was not retained as a Cricket Australia contracted player.

O’Keefe seemed to have a breakthrough tour of the subcontinent, taking 12/70 in the first Test of the series, before finishing with 19 wickets for the tour.

He’s since hit the headlines for another drunken incident at Cricket NSW’s post-season awards night, that saw him fined $20,000. Some have said that display was what prompted his removal from the contract list, but Test legend O’Keeffe told Triple M’s Deadset Legendsthat time was up for the spinner anyway.

“At his age he’s probably run his race as a Test spin bowler,” O’Keeffe said.

“(The suspension) Nothing to do with it at all. They assessed him as a cricketer.

“He’s not a one-trick pony, but he’s a spinner for Pune and a couple of others in India, the subcontinent, Sri Lanka perhaps.

“I wouldn’t take him to England, wouldn’t take him to South Africa, he’ll only play one Test per summer here (in Australia), his time has come.”

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Australian spinner Steve O'Keefe.Source:News Corp Australia

O’Keefe wasn’t the only player to be placed on the chopping block by national selectors, as much maligned batsman Shaun Marsh was another who missed out on a contract.

“Shaun goes because they ran out of patience,” O’Keeffe said. “They see him as so talented, but so frustrating.”

“Injury plagued, at an age 32-33, averaging early 30s, he’s not going to be great, and therefore you move him on.”

Despite joking that there was only “one Marsh left to go”, O’Keeffe said Shaun’s brother Mitchell Marsh was one worth holding on to.

“I think Mitchell Marsh has a lot of ability, he’s a winner again,” O’Keeffe stated.

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Australian batsman Shaun Marsh.Source:AFP

While O’Keeffe remained fairly circumspect about the Test hopes of Steve O’Keefe and Shaun Marsh, he was absolutely scathing in his assessment of James Faulkner.

The Tasmanian remains a feature of Australia’s One Day International and Twenty20 sides, but O’Keeffe did not miss in analysing his Test match ability.

“He was never going to be a Test player — he’s a bottom hand shoveller,” O’Keeffe said.

“He’s a fast bowler whose best ball is a left-arm chinaman. He bats with his hands; I couldn’t take him into Test cricket.

“He’d only get a movement as a bowler if he swallowed a packet of Laxettes. I’m not unhappy with Jimmy Faulkner missing the list.

“Defending 250 with a white ball, bring him on, 1000 slower balls. If I wanted a left-arm chinaman, I’d pick Brad Hogg.

One man he was willing to defend however was former Test keeper Peter Nevill, who continues to be overlooked by national selectors despite his terrific response to being dropped from Australia’s Test side.

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James Faulkner celebrates.Source:Getty Images

Selectors continue to put faith in Victorian keeper Matthew Wade, something O’Keeffe does not understand.

“No, let’s go for the unreliable, Venus flytrap, Matthew Wade and give him a million — idiots,” O’Keeffe mused.

But O’Keeffe did have a tip for selectors should they wish to eventually part company with the Victorian gloveman.

“Alex Carey from South Australia. Bats like Gilchrist, 52 catches this summer,” O’Keeffe said.

“A. Carey — watch him, if Wade fumbles for the 17th time, Carey is waiting. Very good replacement.”


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The Venus Flytrap ... lololol love it :D
 

Twizzle

Administrator
Staff member
Messages
151,030
Carey will be the next Aussie keeper, had a break out year but still a bit young. He may be the reason why Neville was ditched.
 
Messages
14,506
O'Keefe has always said it straight. Despite his goofiness, probably one of the best talent spotters and technique experts on the planet. To listen and read to him when he is being serious is something to behold.

Problem with cricket in Australia, and Australia in general, people who bag people in the public sphere (despite being correct) get shat on. O'Keefe uses the goof humour to mask some of the more critical (scathing at times) comments he makes about players' techniques, abilities and behaviour(s).
 

undertaker

Coach
Messages
10,817
Agree with Skull with nearly everything, except.......

he is another one who has been having one too many drinks with this braindead proposal of persevering with Mitchell Marsh. Hello! What is the matter with all these people? Can't they see Marsh is CLEARLY not an all-rounder, bowled only a handful of overs in India, and has the worst test batting average at #6 of all time (min. 20 tests)? Furthermore, his domestic/state form has been terrible and definitely didn't warrant a call-up into the test team at the expense of Khawaja.

As much as I'm happy to see Shaun Marsh FINALLY being given the toss on the scrapheap after receiving the pampered Shane Watson treatment from the selectors, he contributed far more on the Indian tour than Mitch. That match-saving partnership he produced with Handscomb in the 3rd test is something Mitch could only hope to achieve if he had his life 10 times over.

Sadly, Skull is right about Nevill. Unfortunately, Nevill was unfairly made the scapegoat from that horrific test in Hobart, much like Damien Martyn was exiled for 6 years after that 1994 SCG test. The selectors have a long-term memory when they want to exercise it if you are someone who is not one of the 'protected species' or one of the boys, so to speak. Even if Wade did end up with a serious career-ending injury or we loss the Ashes 5-0, Nevill will be 32 in October and it looks like the selectors are gravitating towards Carey as the next wicketkeeper.
 

Twizzle

Administrator
Staff member
Messages
151,030
MMarsh was decent in the ODI games this summer, he is certainly not there for his test match ability.
 

King hit

Coach
Messages
13,796
I always think that Wade is picked as keeper because he has some batting ability, though that wasn't seen during last summer. Neville is a much better glovemen but he struggled with the bat which is why he was dropped.

Skull's description of Wade's keeping = classic
 

Twizzle

Administrator
Staff member
Messages
151,030
he didn't struggle any more than any one else with the bat, and The Venus Fly Trap has been even worse
 

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