Quantcast

O'Keefe ruled out of Matador Cup

A major blow for the NSW Blues as injury once again strikes spinner Steve O'Keefe

New South Wales and Test spinner Steve O'Keefe has been ruled out of the Matador Cup with a finger injury.

The Blues will be without O'Keefe for the duration of the tournament after the left-arm orthodox spinner injured his finger diving for a catch in the NSW Premier Cricket competition last weekend.

He is expected to be sidelined for at least four weeks, with the Blues beginning their defence of the Matador Cup from Friday against the Cricket Australia XI at Hurstville Oval in Sydney.

"It's hugely disappointing for him," said NSW head coach Trent Johnston. "He had overcome the injury that ruled him out of the Sri Lanka tour and was back to full fitness and enjoying his cricket.

"(O'Keefe) will come back, he'll keep working on his fitness and be in and around our group as an experienced player."

Three cheers as Beer grabs Matador hat-trick

New South Wales are well serviced for spin options, with fellow Test spinner Nathan Lyon likely to be selected for their opener against the CA XI, and young off-spinner Nick Green – who enjoyed a good season with premier Sydney Thunder in the KFC Big Bash least season – also available.

"If we decide to go down the path of using those two off-spinners together, O'Keefe's experience to help 'Greeny' through that period will certainly be something that I'm tapping into," Johnston added.

O'Keefe has endured a disappointing time of things lately, with the spinner injuring his hamstring on day three of the first Test in Sri Lanka – a series he looked likely to play a significant role in.

Quick single: Warner's timely ton secures spot in history

Upon returning home, the 31-year-old was fined $10,000 by Cricket Australia after an incident outside a Sydney Hotel.

Lyon meanwhile, has stated his intentions to use the Matador Cup as a springboard for his return to Australia's ODI set-up.

"I know where I stand in one-day cricket and my goal is to still to play all forms of cricket for Australia and that's not going to change," said the 28-year-old, who has played 13 ODIs for Australia, five of which have come this year.

"I've got to go out and perform well for NSW and keep putting my hand up."

Austin Waugh notches unbeaten century

The Blues have named experienced batsman Ben Rohrer as O'Keefe's replacement in their Matador Cup squad.

"(Rohrer) had a slow start to pre-season with a couple of injuries," Johnston said. "He never got a chance to bat in the middle and missed out on our Maroochydore pre-season camp.

"It was a difficult decision to leave him out, especially with his experience.

"He came back though, as the true professional that he is, and got a double century in a 50-over Premier Cricket game and a 90 in an intra-squad trial so he just proved to us that he hasn't gone anywhere."