Just gong through the stats and its kind of pleasing to see a good number of spin era averaging under 30 this year. Is it decent bowling or rubbish batting though?
O'Keefe 24 @ 22.20
Agar 19 @ 27.05
Ahmed 16 @ 28.37
Zampa 10 @ 23.90
Maxwell 7 @ 25.42
**** batting has something to do with it, but Doherty's 2 @ 80, Lyon's 7 @ 71, Beer's 8 @ 46, Botha's 15 @ 39, Haurie's 13 @ 35, and Krejza's not enough @ too many to even get a ****ing game shows it takes more than rolling your arm over to call yourself a spinner (but not to get a baggy green as one). We do have one ready to go option and some real prospects.
O'Keefe has had a very solid season (no surprises there) and should be the spinner for us in the Ashes (09/10). Been overlooked for ****s (and Lyon who isn't a **** but hadn't earned his spot) now for 3 years. All the parrots in the pet shop were saying in 09 that his low average would blow out and he doesn't turn it. Well he mightn't turn it, but he keeps taking poles and that average is still stuck in the mid 20s whilst his name is constantly overlooked. Obviously more than bowling ability keeping him out of the side and it has to stop, we don't have that luxury. I'm not saying he'd be winning tests for us every second game, but for the integrity what the baggy green is supposed to be about we have to stop handing them out to numpties and ****s and let everyone know that performing in the Shield means more than 'he bowled good in the one dayers/BBL/anyotherwhiteballhitandgiggle' when handing out test spots.
Of all the finger spinners who have taken more than one test wicket for Australia (32 players) SOK has a better f/c average than all but 7 of them and the last of those (Mallett) retired in 81. He has a better f/c s/r than all but 6/7 (can't find Yardley's s/r) again with Mallett the most recent better, and he again has a better econ rate that all bar 12/13 (again missing stat for Yardley) with Murray Bennett the most recent better. His w/m ratio is 10th best (just ahead of Lyon) with May the most recent better (ie almost 20 years ago). Finger spin is tough in Australia and we'd all prefer a great wristy but at the moment O'Keefe is the only serious option we have apart from Lyon and really he should always have been in front of Lyon any way. Add in his handy batting and it stinks that he is overlooked when frauds like Krezja, Beer and Doherty have test caps.
Agar looks like an immense prospect in his few games and could be demanding a spot in a couple of seasons, but not yet. Thank **** that for all the stupid things the selectors do, keeping him in India (or worse playing him in a test) wasn't one of them. Let him get himself sorted out at Shield level first before putting the 'next Warnie' tag on him. Keeping him at WA has the added bonus of keeping Beer in grade where he belongs.
Ahmed looks like the best wristy we've had in the Shield since Magilla. Only seen a bit on the stream, but looks tidy and has taken a bag of wickets. Could be a big shot of getting a game in the home Ashes tests.
Zampa - see Agar. Immense prospect but needs some nurturing. Green wickets have meant he hasn't seen as much time in the Shield as he'll need to progress. O'Keefe obviously deserves to play so we need to work a way of getting him in even though NSW has great seam depth too. A conundrum.
Maxwell - I don't think he should have played a test so early, but I don't get the hate either. Very handy s/r and good numbers for a guy who is really a 5th bowling option. Needs to get a bit more consistency with the bat, but 1 ton and 8 50s in 26 first class innings indicates potential to be a handy no.6 and 5th bowler.