Spinner Stephen O’Keefe paid tribute to spin consultant Muttiah Muralitharan after an impressive performance with the ball against Pakistan A.
In a press conference after day one of the practice match, O’Keefe said that working with Murali assisted his dead track spin.
“Your main thing on these sort of wickets is you have to be hitting the stumps, give yourself a chance,” he said.
“That’s what Murali has been valuable with, those sorts of variations.
“I haven’t got his doosra, that’d be nice. But I’ll just go with the one that slides on.”
Muralitharan has been appointed as spin coach during this UAE tour as the condition would likely help the spinners. If the condition stays the same, Australia might go with two spinners and O’Keefe will get his chance. But if they go with one spinner, Nathan Lyon will be the ultimate choice. O’Keefe knows about it and does not want to look far ahead.
“If they [management] decide to play two, it would be great to bowl alongside him [Lyon],” O’Keefe said.
“Today [Wednesday] was an opportunity to bowl, I’ll get another opportunity in the next innings, but I’m not looking too far ahead.
The first test between Australia and Pakistan will take place on October 22, 2014 in Dubai, UAE. – Md Zahin
Top photo from Naparazzi’s Flickr photostream.
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