Cricket
Racing
Rugby
League
Motorsport
Football
Golf
Combat Sports
Basketball
Tennis
Other Sports
Sport Nation
'The system has let him down': O’Keefe reacts to Kuhnemann’s bowling action report
SEN • February 13th, 2025 12:59 pm
Former Australian spinner Steve O’Keefe thinks that Matt Kuhnemann has been let down by Cricket Australia after he was reported for a suspected illegal bowling action.
The report came through post the second Test in Galle where Kuhnemann was Australia’s leading wicket-taker in the 2-0 series win over Sri Lanka. The left-hander took 16 wickets at an average of 17.2.
While O’Keefe doesn’t think Kuhnemann will have any issues as he now has to undergo an assessment to rule whether his action is legal, he thinks that these tests should have been done earlier by Australian officials to save him the scrutiny at this stage of his career.
“He’s played over 100 professional games of cricket in front of match referees in the Big Bash and First Class cricket,” O’Keefe told SEN Sportsday NSW/QLD.
“He would have trained in front of coaches who would have seen his development over the years.
“I think it might be hyperextension, and I don’t think he’ll have any issues when it comes to the testing.
“However, if they can see it, then surely coaches and umpires here at a domestic level be proactive and say, ‘Let’s have a look at this, get him cleared at the centre of excellence up in Brisbane’, instead of being reactive.
“In this situation, it can be quite detrimental to the player and the welfare of Matt after a great series in Sri Lanka, he now has to go through this process which is horrible.
“It’s really cold, you’re on your own, they don’t talk to you, they tape you up and then they test you with these degrees of action.”
Sumo is backing Blackcaps to win Champions Trophy | Scotty & Izzy
As well as the strain that the testing could put on Kuhnemann and his confidence, O’Keefe called for Cricket Australia to be more proactive going forward with the left-hander now unable to play international cricket until the assessment is complete.
“I’m saying if we don’t do this at an early age or identify players in the system with a potentially questionable action (it could get Australia in trouble),” O’Keefe said.
“We don’t want it happening at the top end, imagine if we had a tour of India coming up and he’s the dominant spinner. He’d be out of it.
“In my opinion, the system has failed and let him down. But I do believe there will be nothing to see here for Matt Kuhnemann.
“I think he’ll be okay.”
Kuhnemann is free to play domestic cricket for Tasmania before the test is completed.
