Former Australian bowler Kerry O’Keeffe in his interview with Triple M’s Dead Set Legends podcast revealed England is looking rusty after a massive loss against South Africa in the second Test of ongoing four-match Investec series at the Trent Bridge, as he termed Australia favourites for 2017-18 Ashes. (Read Here: Ex-Spinner Kerry O’Keeffe Admits He Was Wrong About Glenn Maxwell).
O’Keeffe remarked the hosts have a great chance to win the traditional tournament comfortable owing to the factors of pace and a bounce, in the favour of Steven Smith-led Kangaroos.
“They’ve got ageing fast bowlers; I think we can win this [Ashes] series easily,” O’Keefee was quoted as saying by Cricket.com.au.
The former spinner O’Keeffe is positive to see Australia succeeding against newly-appointed Joe Root-led England while stating the hosts would have quality players to wrestle against England.
Interestingly, the five-match Test series will kick start on November 23 at the Gabba in Brisbane.
Interestingly, England has lost eight Test matches out of their 13, as O’Keeffe believes Australia certainly has an edge to trounce the visitors.
“You win at home, you lose away, and we are very good at home. On what I saw against South Africa, this is not (an England) side that can beat us,” O’Keeffe said.
Before the series Down Under, O’Keeffe feels Root is a dangerous batsman in the middle-order for any of the opponents, but he believes the elegant stroke-maker could find it quite difficult to face Australian bowlers on the bouncy tracks.
“[Joe] Root at four is going to be a danger, but the bouncy wickets may bring him undone,” O’Keeffe remarked.
O’Keeffe added, the right-handed Yorkshire-born batsman Root is a ‘slow pitch player’ and he could often edge the ball owing to the extra carry from the pitch in Australian conditions.
However, it becomes pertinent Root smashed brilliant 190 at Lord’s to clinch the inaugural match of the series comfortably, before losing the second Test by 340 runs after England was restricted to 133.
“He’s a very good slow pitch player – stays side on, keeps the bat face open. He’ll nick forever if it bounce,” O’Keeffe asserted.
Moreover, the Sydney-born 67-year-old former leg-spinner O’Keeffe revealed Alastair Cook has passed the prime while questioning his age, as he believes the former skipper would find it hard to replicate his performance of his former years at the top with the bat.
“(England have) got the ageing (Alastair) Cook at one,” O’Keeffe added.
O’Keeffe has also questioned the potential of the England’s top-order while stating Gary Balance, who has been ruled out owing to final injury for the third Test.
According to O’Keeffe being at the third spot won’t be able to make much of a difference for the visitors.
“At number three is (Gary) Ballance, who we’ve always had no problem with at all,” O’Keeffe concluded.
O’Keeffe featured in 24 Tests in which he bagged 53 wickets. He had also played two One-day Internationals to claim two scalps, as he has also played for English County side Somerset.