SOK 2.0 rewarded for hard work

Nearly two years after an unflattering Test debut in Dubai, Stephen O’Keefe will tomorrow get another opportunity to kick-start his career for what looms as a crucial nine-month period for Australia’s spin department.

O’Keefe was picked to serve as Nathan Lyon’s spin deputy for the current Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka – a series that marks Australia’s first chance to defend their No.1 Test mantle since re-claiming the throne in New Zealand in February.

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Remarkable consistency for New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield resulted in O’Keefe adding another Test to his name in the rain-marred clash against the West Indies in Sydney earlier this year, taking 3-63 across a five-day first innings.

With O’Keefe now a confirmed started for today's series opener at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, captain Steve Smith believes his NSW Blues teammate returns to the side an improved player from that debut performance of 4-219 against Pakistan almost two years ago.

"I think he has always improved,” Smith told reporters. "Each year he’s played he has improved.

"Looking back to the UAE tour, we bowled first on both of those occasions and were behind the game quite often.

"It’s always a different game when you get in front of the game and there’s a bit of pressure on the batters to score runs and play with guys around the bat and those kinds of things.

"I guess we never really got in that kind of position so we never saw that side of Stephen.

"But I think he has progressed really well. He’s probably bowling as well as I’ve seen him bowl.

"In the tour match he bowled beautifully. He bowled the same ball and some skidded on and some spun.

"Quite similar to Rangana Herath, the way he bowls in these conditions."

One man who knows O'Keefe better than most is Australia and Victoria allrounder John Hastings, who had O'Keefe by his side as his best man on his wedding day.

Speaking on cricket.com.au's Unplayable Podcast, Hastings said O'Keefe's recall is a reward for hard work.

"The thing I love about SOK is that undeniable work ethic," Hastings said as he and Test quick Peter Siddle previewed the upcoming series.

"Between him and Steve Smith, it'd be a competition to see who stays the longest at training. He's uncompromising, he's the sort of guy you want to take into the trenches.

"I'm absolutely rapt for him. I know personally how hard he's worked and his stats speak for themselves and I'm really excited to see what he's got."

Hastings and Siddle also acknowledged one of O'Keefe's most notable characteristics from their years playing him in domestic cricket - his on-field chat.

"We hear enough of that in Shield games - he never stops talking!" Siddle said.

"It's nice to have him on the Australian side now. You're happy to have a bloke who will keep chirping all day. I think the Sri Lankans will get sick of that."

Any doubts around O’Keefe’s place in the XI for this three-Test campaign were crushed in a dominant 10-wicket performance in Australia’s sole first-class fixture ahead of the series opener.

That performance also saw O’Keefe claim his 200th wicket at first-class level with an elite average of 23.82. If the numbers don’t lie, then O’Keefe’s return to the top isn’t anywhere near as surprising as some couch experts might otherwise suggest.

From his past six home summers, only once has O’Keefe averaged more than 24.10 at first-class level.

Darren Lehmann and co. will hoping for more of the same over the next month as they aim to cement the man to partner – or replace, if injury strikes – No.1 spinner Nathan Lyon.

The series on the subcontinental tracks in Sri Lanka will be followed by a home summer against South Africa and Pakistan before returning to Asia early next year for a series against India, which is shaping up to be Australia’s most important series until the home Ashes in 2017-18.

Not that O’Keefe is getting carried away with what his standing in the national set-up may look like six months from now.

"When you look around the country there are a lot of really talented spinners,” O’Keefe told media in Colombo last week.

"I’m just trying to enjoy this experience as much as possible, because it can all finish in the blink of an eye as we’ve seen with other players.

"Whatever challenges come on the day I’m just learning to adapt as quickly as possible, but most importantly try to do it with a smile on my face and have some fun."

With subcontinental conditions renowned for producing long wicketless periods in stifling conditions, it’s that contagious energy shared by O’Keefe - best exemplified by the passionate celebration that comes with each wicket in the nets - that may prove to be one of his biggest attributes during the next few weeks.

And probably beyond.