Cricket Australia's decision to withdraw Steve O'Keefe from the Big Bash ahead of the Test tour of India seems to have instantly paid off, with the left-arm spinner taking 9-54 for Manly-Warringah's first-grade side on Saturday.
Perhaps just as pleasingly for O'Keefe and Australia selectors than the bag of wickets he took at Manly Oval was the 29.5 overs he bowled, given the maximum four overs allowed by each bowler in the Big Bash.
One of O'Keefe's nine wickets against Campbelltown-Camden on Saturday was that of former England Test spinner Monty Panesar, who O'Keefe dismissed for a third-ball duck.
Manly club captain Adam Crosthwaite said O'Keefe was "on a different level".
"SOKey (O'Keefe) was outstanding," he told AAP.
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"We gave him the ball and let him go.
"SOK and I have played together since we were 16 or 17 (years old) and that's the best I've ever seen him bowl.
"He's on fire. He's spinning it and not missing his line."
After bowling Campbelltown-Camden out for 139, Manly-Warringah were 5-147 at stumps and are expected to declare overnight and bowl again on Sunday.
Crosthwaite said it wouldn't take long before the ball was again in O'Keefe's hands.
"He'll probably have another 20 odd (overs) - he'll have as many overs as he wants, that's where I'm at with him," he said.
"He just wanted a volume of overs before India and he's definitely going to get it."
Australia's squad for the Test tour of India is scheduled to be announced on Sunday morning, with O'Keefe now almost certain to be named.
