Thaindian News

Chennai, Sep 21 (IANS) After getting a peek at international cricket last season when he played a few T20 games for Australia and subsequently was in the Test squad but never got a game, left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe has reconciled to his fickle fortune while striving to help New South Wales Blues regain the Champions League title.

At 26, the Malaysia-born Aussie has been through the gamut of highs and lows, but is hoping for a turnaround, especially after being in the Kochi Tuskers team in the 2011 IPL only to find that the franchise has been dropped from the lucrative T20 competition.

“I watched it on Hindi TV and couldn’t understand what was going on. I only knew what you guys know basically and I think there is an appeal in the process.

“It would be a shame if I were to go home without playing (for them) considering that last year, I didn’t play a game. I was disappointed and if they scrap the team I would be even more disappointed.

“Hopefully, they can arrange that and get them back in the competition. I don’t know what jurisdiction they are under, but it would be a real shame if we didn’t get to play together,” said O’Keefe at a media interaction here Wednesday as his team trained for this weekend’s Champions League.

O’Keefe believes that he is well-equipped to spearhead his team’s spin attack and even open the proceedings if required.

“I have had quite a few cracks at it. I played in Sri Lanka and bowled early in a couple of games and from that experience If the situation comes across we have got a great young bowling attack,” he said.

Looking back on his cricket career during which O’Keefe led the Blues team on a couple of occasions, he said he would make the best of opportunities that come his way.

“I feel very privileged. Only a couple of years ago I wasn’t in the mix and was considering a couple of other career options and every opportunity I am going to try and grab it with both hands.

“I know that your career is very fickle in this game and coming across here and being able to compete… definitely a big honour.

“I am an entrepreneur, a carpenter. I am pretty good with my hands, but I will not choose (another career) now,” he said.

O’Keefe reflected on the challenges of bowling in the sub-continent and the changes he needed to make in his craft to be more effective.

“I feel it is completely different to bowl on the sub-continental wickets. Spin’s tradition in Australia is to try and toss the ball up and a get enough shape on the ball and drift.

“Here, it is a lot more scrambled thing. You bowl a lot more into the wicket. Traditionally I try and drift the ball as much which I find here quite challenging.

“But you got to be able to bowl in all conditions that are presented to you so I am trying to develop that by practicing bowling on these Chennai wickets,” he said.