Spinners duel for Aussie Test spot

Sunday and Monday loom as key days for recalled spinners Ashton Agar and Stephen O'Keefe as they try to win a spot in the team for the third cricket Test

Ashton Agar and Stephen O'Keefe are set to spend Sunday and Monday battling for a single Test spot and auditioning for places on the imminent tour of India.

With the SCG likely to offer turn for the third Test against Pakistan starting on Tuesday, the selectors have beefed up their spin options by adding left arm orthodox practitioners Agar and O'Keefe to established offie Nathan Lyon.

NSW tweaker O'Keefe suggested captain Steve Smith might even look at playing three spinners, though that seems highly unlikely.

"They've picked myself and Ashton, who is performing really well this year, so it's up to me to train well and show that I'm up and ready for the game," O'Keefe said.

Agar has adopted a similar attitude, saying he wanted to train professionally and not think about the four-Test tour of spinner-friendly India through February and March.

"I guess I'm a chance maybe (of making the India tour), honestly but I'm not going to look any further ahead than the next couple of training days, and then if I get selected, 'for that Test match," Agar said.

"Thats whats worked for me at the moment.

"I've tried not to look far ahead at all and it's held me in good stead this season."

O'Keefe played the most recent of his three Tests in Sri Lanka last July, while Agar's two Tests appearances were in England in 2013.

With three spinners in the squad for the SCG Test, O' Keefe said it was possible the selectors could choose a similar combination for India.

"Every game you play is an audition for the next game or the upcoming series," O'Keefe said.

Both Agar and O'Keefe played in India in the two-match A series in Chennai between the two nations last year.

O'Keefe took 14 wickets at 20 in the two matches and Agar three at 31 from one.

Significantly, both of them dismissed prolific Indian batsman and captain Virat Kohli in the second game.

"We were up against some of the guys who are now playing in their first team," O'Keefe said.

"Karun Nair, Kohli played, Kannur Rahul, so three of those batters played in that A series.

"I had a fair bit of success bowling over there in Chennai, so I feel like ny bowling probably tends to suit those conditions on those wickets.

"I don't want to look too far ahead thats India.and I've got the SCG coming up here and hopefully picked in that."


Share

3 min read

Published

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world