Kerry O'Keeffe

Infobox Cricketer


nationality = Australian
country = Australia
country abbrev = AUS
name = Kerry O'Keeffe
picture = Cricket_no_pic.pngbatting style = Right-hand bat
bowling style = Legbreak googly
balls = balls
tests = 24
test runs = 644
test bat avg = 25.76
test 100s/50s = -/1
test top score = 85
test overs = 5384
test wickets = 53
test bowl avg = 38.07
test 5s = 1
test 10s = -
test best bowling = 5/101
test catches/stumpings = 15/-
ODIs = 2
ODI runs = 16
ODI bat avg = 16.00
ODI 100s/50s = -/-
ODI top score = 16*
ODI overs = 132
ODI wickets = 2
ODI bowl avg = 39.50
ODI 5s = -
ODI 10s = -
ODI best bowling = 1/36
ODI catches/stumpings = -/-
date = 12 December
year = 2005
source = http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/7002.html Cricinfo

Kerry James "Skull" O'Keeffe (born 25 November 1949, Hurstville, New South Wales) is a former Australian cricketer and now a commentator for ABC Radio. O'Keeffe played 24 Tests and 2 ODIs between 1971 and 1977.

He was a spin bowler, bowling leg breaks. He never quite lived up to early expectations of him being the next great Australian leg spin bowler, taking 53 wickets at an average of 38.07. He did however have some success with the bat averaging 25.76 and being called upon to open the batting in the second innings of the Centenary Test. One statistic that O'Keeffe himself uses to demonstrate his lack of penetration with the ball is that he is the bowler with the highest percentage of wickets out 'caught' in the history of Test match cricket (44 out of 53 wickets, 84%) [http://www.howstat.com/cricket/Statistics/Players/PlayerDismissBowlGraph.asp?PlayerID=1289]

After varied careers post-cricket he is now a commentator on ABC Radio and occasionally the Nine Network. He is known for his humorous anecdotes, told in the manner of an after dinner speech at a cricketers club, and his distinctive laugh. He especially seems to enjoy working with overseas commentators such as India's Harsha Bhogle whom he confuses with his colourful Australian language. However when he concentrates on the game he shows insight born of a career at the highest level together with study of the statistics and history of the game.

In 2004 he released his autobiography "According to Skull". He has also released a number of CDs containing some shorts of his commentating antics.

During Australia's 2004 successful campaign in India, guest commentator Harsha Bhogle was heard to ask some of the other regular ABC Cricket commentatorsFact|date=February 2007 "Do you guys have a roster, for commentating alongside Kerry, or do you draw straws". This question elicited nervous guffaws from those present in the commentary box at the time. It also indicated what many listeners felt, that it was difficult, though illuminating and interesting, to commentate alongside O'Keeffe, and that other commentators were nervous in his presence.

References

External links

* [http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/australia/content/player/7002.html Cricinfo article on Kerry O'Keeffe]
* [http://www.icmi.com.au/speakerfull.phtml?id=459 Kerry O'Keeffe's Biography on ICMI Sport Speakers]
* [http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200603/r74772_210339.mp3 Kerry O'Keeffe tells joke during Aus v Sri Lanka Final ODI at Gabba 2006]