Stephen Norman John O'Keefe (born 9 December 1984) is a former Australian cricketer who played for the Australian national team in
Test matches Test match in some sports refers to a sporting contest between national representative teams and may refer to:
* Test cricket
* Indoor cricket, Test match (indoor cricket)
* Test match (rugby union)
* Test match (rugby league)
* Test match (associa ...
and
Twenty20 International
Twenty20 International (T20I) is a form of Twenty20 cricket, in which each team plays a single innings with a maximum of twenty overs. The matches are played between international teams recognized by the International Cricket Council (ICC). ...
Nine
9 (nine) is the natural number following and preceding .
Evolution of the Hindu–Arabic digit
Circa 300 BC, as part of the Brahmi numerals, various Indians wrote a digit 9 similar in shape to the modern closing question mark without the bot ...
. O'Keefe was formerly the captain of the
New South Wales
New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
Sheffield Shield team.
Personal life
O'Keefe was born on 9 December 1984 in
Malaysia
Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...
to Stephen, who worked for the
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal Air force, aerial warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army. Constitutionally the Governor-Gener ...
, and Jan, a nurse. His father was stationed in Malaysia at the time of his birth. The family, which also includes O'Keefe's sister Rebekah, later moved to
Sale, Victoria
Sale is a city situated in the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia and the council capital of the Shire of Wellington. It had an estimated population of 15,305 in 2022 according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The total population in ...
and then to
Richmond, New South Wales
Richmond is a historic town in northwest Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. Richmond is in the local government area of the City of Hawkesbury and is part of the Sydney metropolitan area. It is located 19 metres above sea level on the alluvia ...
. O'Keefe taught at the Richmond High School during his early cricket career.
On 8 August 2016, Steve O'Keefe was fined $10,000 by
Cricket Australia
Cricket Australia (CA) is the governing body for professional and amateur cricket in Australia. It was originally formed in 1905 as the 'Australian Board of Control for International Cricket'. It is incorporated as an Australian Public Company ...
after being issued with a criminal infringement notice by
New South Wales Police
The New South Wales Police Force is a law enforcement agency of the state of New South Wales, Australia, established in 1862. With more than 17,000 police officers, it is the largest police organisation in Australia, policing an area of 801,60 ...
following an incident at a Sydney hotel on 6 August 2016.
O'Keefe was later fined $20,000 and suspended from the domestic Matador Cup following an alcohol-fueled incident in April 2017, in which he was reported to have made 'highly inappropriate comments' to
New South Wales Breakers
The New South Wales Women cricket team, also known as the New South Wales Breakers, is the women's representative cricket team for the Australian State of New South Wales. They play most of their home games at North Sydney Oval and they also u ...
cricketer
Rachael Haynes
Rachael Louise Haynes (born 26 December 1986) is an Australian former international cricketer who has won six world championships as a member of the national women's team. A left-handed batter, Haynes was vice-captain of Australia from 2017 to ...
and her partner at
Cricket NSW
Cricket NSW (officially known as the ''New South Wales Cricket Association'') is an Australian sporting association that administers cricket in New South Wales. It is based at the Sydney Olympic Park. The New South Wales Blues, the New South W ...
's Steve Waugh Medal function.
Domestic career
O'Keefe played as a spin bowler for the
Sydney Sixers
The Sydney Sixers is an Australian professional franchise men's cricket team, competing in Australia's domestic Twenty20 cricket competition, the Big Bash League (BBL). Along with the Sydney Thunder, the Sixers are the successors of the Spee ...
. He was also a handy batsman, and used to open the batting for the Sixers. O'Keefe picked up the first wicket for the
2016–17 Big Bash League season
The 2016–17 Big Bash League season or BBL, 06 was the sixth season of the KFC Big Bash League, the professional men's Twenty20 domestic cricket competition in Australia. The tournament ran from 20 December 2016 to 28 January 2017. The format ...
, taking the wicket of
Sydney Thunder
The Sydney Thunder is an Australian franchise professional cricket team, competing in Australia's domestic Twenty20 cricket competition, the Big Bash League. Along with the Sydney Sixers, the Thunder is the successor to the Speed Blitz Blues, ...
Doug Bollinger
Douglas Erwin Bollinger (born 24 July 1981) is a former Australian cricketer. He has played first-class cricket for the New South Wales cricket team and international cricket for Australia. He is a left-handed batsman and a left-arm fast bowle ...
. O'Keefe is best known in the big bash during its fourth edition when he hit a last ball boundary of the bowling of Josh Lalor, to win a thriller against the Sydney Thunder which was Brett lee's final match at the
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) is a sports stadium in the Moore Park, New South Wales, Moore Park suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is used for Test cricket, Test, One Day International and Twenty20 cricket, as well as, Australi ...
.
O'Keefe made his First-Class debut for New South Wales against
Tasmania
Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...
in November 2005. O'Keefe took 2 wickets and scored 10 runs on debut. His first scoring shot was a
six
6 (six) is the natural number following 5 and preceding 7. It is a composite number and the smallest perfect number.
In mathematics
A six-sided polygon is a hexagon, one of the three regular polygons capable of tiling the plane. A hexagon a ...
.
O'Keefe did not play first class cricket again until November 2009. Against Tasmania he took 3–101. That summer he took 15 first class wickets at an average of 30.93, making him one of the better performing spinners in Australia. He also made 247 runs at an average of 61.75.
In 2010–11 O'Keefe took 26 first class wickets at 20.57 with a best of 4–65. This saw him discussed as an international prospect, as Australian spin stocks were thin at the time. The Australian selectors dropped
Nathan Hauritz
Nathan Michael Hauritz (; born 18 October 1981) is a former Australian cricketer who has represented Australia in Tests, One-dayers and Twenty20 Internationals. He is mainly noted for his off spin bowling. He was a part of the Australian squ ...
but used
Xavier Doherty
Xavier John Doherty (born 22 November 1982) is a former Australian international cricketer who played Australian domestic cricket with Tasmania cricket team, Tasmania and internationally for Australia national cricket team, Australia.
He is a ...
Nathan Lyon
Nathan Michael Lyon (born 20 November 1987) is an Australian international cricketer. He made his Test debut in 2011 and plays domestic cricket for New South Wales. Lyon is an off-spin bowler and a lower-order right-handed batsman. Considered ...
. Lyon's strong performances saw him establish himself as Australia's first-choice spinner.
O'Keefe struggled in 2011–12 only taking 9 first class wickets at an average of 52. The following summer was better – O'Keefe took 24 wickets at an average of 22.2. This made him the second highest wicket taking spinner in Australia, after
Nathan Lyon
Nathan Michael Lyon (born 20 November 1987) is an Australian international cricketer. He made his Test debut in 2011 and plays domestic cricket for New South Wales. Lyon is an off-spin bowler and a lower-order right-handed batsman. Considered ...
but at a much better average. He was considered a possibility as a backup spinner to Lyon on the 2013 tour of India. However he was overlooked in favour of
Xavier Doherty
Xavier John Doherty (born 22 November 1982) is a former Australian international cricketer who played Australian domestic cricket with Tasmania cricket team, Tasmania and internationally for Australia national cricket team, Australia.
He is a ...
, who had taken two first class wickets that summer, and batting all rounder Glenn Maxwell, who had taken nine. He also missed selection on the 2013 Ashes in favour of
Ashton Agar
Ashton Charles Agar (born 14 October 1993) is an Australian cricketer who plays all forms of the game at international level. Agar plays domestically for Western Australia and the Perth Scorchers. A left-handed spin bowler and capable lower-orde ...
.
O'Keefe's omission at international level was confusing to many. According to one report:
Over time there have been a range of reasons available on the rumour mill. He just bowls darts, some said. He's too chippy, was another explanation thrown out there. Yet another was a personality clash with an influential figure in the Australian set-up. The clash was very much true, but it being a reason for him being overlooked was only ever a theory. Whether his cause was further harmed, too, by his occasional bucking of the old-school maxim that you don't question selectors is unknown, too.
In 2013–14 O'Keefe took 41 first class wickets at 20.43 including a best of 6–70. He finished the 2013/14 domestic Sheffield Shield season as the leading wicket taker for the NSW Blues, just edging out Western Australia's
Jason Behrendorff
Jason Paul Behrendorff (born 20 April 1990) is an Australian cricketer who played One Day International, One Day Internationals and Twenty20 International, Twenty20 Internationals for Australia national cricket team, Australia and first-class an ...
Kerry O'Keeffe
Kerry James O'Keeffe (born 25 November 1949) is an Australian former cricketer and a current cricket commentator for Fox Sports. O'Keeffe played 24 Test matches and two One Day Internationals between 1971 and 1977. Due to his comedic anecdotes ...
(no relation) said at the time:
It is a reward for some of the stuff he has done over the past two years. His numbers are undeniable so they obviously misread him somehow. They have been forced to pick him as he has kept putting them in the book... I think they had a perception of him that didn’t quite fit and the only way to change that perception was to take wickets. He has fought against a perception and broken it down. This should be his reward.
O'Keefe made his Test debut.
In 2014–15 O'Keefe took 28 first class wickets at 23.21 with a best of 5–24. He was overlooked for selection on the 2015 tours of the West Indies and England in favour of
Fawad Ahmed
Fawad Ahmed (; born 10 March 1979) is an Australian former cricketer. Born in Pakistan, he was granted Australian citizenship in July 2013. In August and September 2013, he played for the Australian cricket team in both a T20I and an ODI series ...
, who ultimately ended up playing no Tests. In 2015 he toured India with Australia A, taking 14 wickets at 20.07 with a best return of 6–82.
In 2015–16 O'Keefe took 20 first class wickets at 24.10. The
Kochi Tuskers Kerala
Kochi Tuskers Kerala is a now defunct franchise cricket team that played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) representing the city of Kochi, Kerala, India. The team was one of two new franchises added to the IPL for the 2011 season, alongside ...
picked him up at the
Indian Premier League
The Indian Premier League (IPL) is a professional Twenty20 (T20) cricket league in India, organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Founded in 2007, it features ten city-based Professional sports league organization, fr ...
auction for $20,000. In
Sydney Grade Cricket
NSW Premier Cricket, formerly and still commonly known as Sydney Grade Cricket is a cricket competition played in Sydney, Australia, and is highest level club cricket competition in the state of New South Wales The competition began in 1893 when ...
he plays for Manly Warringah, although he originally played for Hawkesbury.
In April 2020, New South Wales did not renew his contract to play in the
Sheffield Shield
The Sheffield Shield is the domestic first-class cricket competition of Australia. The tournament is contested between teams representing the six states of Australia. The Sheffield Shield is named after Henry Holroyd, 3rd Earl of Sheffield, Lor ...
, O’Keefe announcing his retirement from first-class and List A cricket. However, O'Keefe continued to play for the
Sydney Sixers
The Sydney Sixers is an Australian professional franchise men's cricket team, competing in Australia's domestic Twenty20 cricket competition, the Big Bash League (BBL). Along with the Sydney Thunder, the Sixers are the successors of the Spee ...
in the
Big Bash League
The Big Bash League (BBL), also known as the KFC Big Bash League for sponsorship reasons, is a professional Twenty20 cricket league in Australia. Established in 2011 by Cricket Australia, the Big Bash League replaced the previous competitio ...
. O'Keefe won three BBL titles with the Sydney Sixers throughout his playing time with them. On 10 January, 2024, O’Keefe announced his retirement from professional cricket announcing he would cease playing at the end of the 2023/24 Big Bash League season. In his final season he helped to guide the Sydney Sixers to another final. Taking 8 wickets in 9 matches, his final wicket being in a losing effort in the Big Bash Final, against the
Brisbane Heat
The Brisbane Heat are an Australian professional franchise men's and women's cricket team, competing in Australia's domestic Twenty20 cricket competition, the Big Bash League (BBL). The Heat are the successors of the Queensland Bulls who playe ...
.
International career
O'Keefe was called up to the Australian Test team to replace the injured
Nathan Hauritz
Nathan Michael Hauritz (; born 18 October 1981) is a former Australian cricketer who has represented Australia in Tests, One-dayers and Twenty20 Internationals. He is mainly noted for his off spin bowling. He was a part of the Australian squ ...
for the series against
Pakistan
Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
in England, but did not play in the Tests. He made his Twenty20 international debut during the England tour. In the lead-up to the
2010–11 Ashes series
The 2010–11 Ashes series (known as the Vodafone Ashes Series for sponsorship reasons) was the 66th series of Test cricket matches played to contest The Ashes. The series was played in Australia as part of the England cricket team's tour of the ...
, O'Keefe performed impressively taking 4/88 for 'Australia-A' in a tour game against a full strength English batting line up in Hobart. These figures would remain the best by an Australian spinner all summer.
However he was consistently overlooked in favour of other spinners. In 2013 selector
John Inverarity
Robert John Inverarity (born 31 January 1944) is a former Australian cricketer who played six Test matches. A right-handed batsman and left-arm orthodox spin bowler in his playing career, Inverarity was also one of the enduring captains in t ...
said "Steve O'Keefe is a very good cricketer. He's taken wickets, and he's a steady batsman. Whenever we've been at the selection table, we've marginally preferred other players to him. But he's still regarded as a good cricketer. We're very aware of his figures and we do look deeper than that. But there's a panel of five of us and there's a consistency of view when we select the spinners."
He made his Test match debut for Australia against Pakistan in the
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...
on 22 October 2014. He was Australian Test Cap number 439. O'Keefe took 2/107 in the first innings and 2/112 in the second, claiming
Asad Shafiq
Asad Shafiq (; born 28 January 1986) is a Pakistani former cricketer who played for the Pakistan national cricket team between 2010 and 2020. He is a member of the Men's National Selection Committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board.
In August 2 ...
as his first Test victim.
In Australia's second innings of the first Test versus Sri Lanka at Pallakele in 2016, Stephen O'Keefe along with Peter Nevill set the record for the slowest partnership for any wicket in Test history, scoring 4 runs from 178 balls/29.4 overs with a scoring run rate of just 0.13 runs per over, which is also the lowest spanning at least 100 or more balls. O'Keefe scored those four crucial runs, a boundary. After this match, O'Keefe had to return home due to an injury to his hamstring.
On 24 February 2017, he took his first 5-wicket haul in a Test match, against India at the
Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium
Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium is an international cricket stadium in Pune, Maharashtra, India. It is owned and operated by the Maharashtra Cricket Association.
It is the home ground of the Maharashtra cricket team and Maharashtra ...
, 6/35 where India were all out for 105 runs in the first innings. At the time, this was India's worst collapse in any Test match, losing their last seven wickets for eleven runs. He then repeated the same figures (6/35) in the second inning a day later, as Australia won by 333 runs. His match figures of 12/70 were the second best bowling by a visiting bowler in a Test in India. This was the second time in the history of Test cricket that a bowler had recorded six wickets and an identical number of runs in both innings of a Test after
B. S. Chandrasekhar
Bhagwat Subramanya Chandrasekhar (informally Chandra; born 17 May 1945) is an Indian former cricketer who played as a leg spinner. Considered among the top echelon of leg spinners, Chandrasekhar along with E.A.S. Prasanna, Bishen Singh Bedi ...
of India, who had figures of 6/52 in both innings in 1977, coincidentally against Australia at the MCG, with O'Keefe's figures setting the record for the best identical bowling figures in Test history.