No clear contender to back up Nathan Lyon on Ashes tour

Hidden beneath the truckload of debate over Australia’s batting is an even more perplexing Ashes question.

Steve O’Keefe has been in fine form for NSW. Picture: AAP

• Steve Smith: It’s great to be back!
• Warner made for World Cup comeback

Hidden beneath the truckload of debate over Australia’s batting is an even more perplexing Ashes question.

Who is Australia’s No.2 spinner for the arduous tour of England?

NSW specialist Steve O’Keefe’s stocks are rising quickly, but in part that’s because others are falling.

In a significant blow for national selectors, promising Queensland leggie Mitchell Swepson has been dropped from the Bulls team for the Sheffield Shield clash against O’Keefe’s Blues at the Gabba.

Meanwhile, Fawad Ahmed has announced his retirement from first-class cricket, Cameron Boyce hasn’t played a red-ball game since 2017, Ashton Agar is injured and Adam Zampa is currently on a white-ball only menu in India.

Steve O'Keefe has been in fine form for NSW. Picture: AAP

Jon Holland is the incumbent Australian No.2 behind Nathan Lyon and by default the current favourite to scrape onto the Ashes tour if selectors indeed keep with tradition and pick two slow bowlers for a five-Test tour.

However, Holland’s struggles in turning conditions in the UAE against Pakistan late last year has cast a cloud over his credentials even though he is a reliable performer for Victoria.

In the absence of a standout candidate, there is support for all-rounder Marnus Labuschagne essentially taking the role of a second spinner for the Ashes, with the logic being that if Lyon fell over on the morning of a Test, Australia might back their strengths and pick four quicks anyway.

Victoria’s Jon Holland is the incumbent back-up to Nathan Lyon. Picture: Getty Images

Under those worst-case circumstances, Labuschagne could then do a job as a part-timer.

But it’s hardly ideal.

The big mover in the final rounds of the Shield shapes as nine-match Test player O’Keefe, who is fresh from cleaning up Western Australia with a superb nine-wicket haul at Bankstown last weekend.

He was close to unplayable in the fourth innings.

O’Keefe has proven form at Test level with his crowning achievement his man-of-the-match 12-wicket demolition of Virat Kohli and India in Australia’s famous win in Pune in 2017.

Even in the handful of Tests they played alongside each other, there was evidence that O’Keefe and Lyon gelled well as a combination.

Mitchell Swepson has been dropped by Queensland. Picture: AAP

By his own admission O’Keefe hasn’t made his chances of getting another Test any easier with some off-field behavioural issues, but at 34-years-of-age the left-armer still believes he has something to offer at international level.

O’Keefe seems to have got on top of the soft tissue injuries that have plagued him during his career and was an ironman for the Sydney Sixers during the Big Bash.

He has taken 281 first-class wickets at a brilliant average of 24 and more scalps against Queensland could put him back in pole position for an Ashes swansong back as Lyon’s deputy.

NSW captain Peter Nevill – who is an outside chance for Australia’s No.2 keeping spot – said he wouldn’t hesitate on picking O’Keefe.

“Absolutely. SOK’s record is second to none. He’s performed for such a long period of time for us,” said Nevill.

“He ticked off 200 first-class wickets for NSW during the game.

“He had nine wickets for the match. He’s one of the best spinners going around at the moment. “Nathan Lyon is obviously our No.1 but Stephen O’Keefe is certainly putting his hand up for the second spinner’s spot.”