Image Credit- Getty
While all eyes will be on David Warner who will be choppered
in for Friday’s much-anticipated Sydney Derby at the SCG, it will turn out to
be an evening of even more importance for Steve O’Keefe of the Sydney Sixers,
who is expected to almost certainly play his last season for the side.
While his game at the SCG has the potential to be his
last at the ground as well as his pro career, people have been judicious with
their farewells because at the time of writing, the Sydney Sixers are in
contention to not only host the final, but even a decider game provided they make
the qualifier and manage to beat the Brisbane Heat on the Gold Coast.
O’Keefe has been contemplating the thought of retiring
for quite some time now, with his conversations often circling around to it
time and again. However, this time around it could very well materialize in the
sense that he has taken the decision to relocate to New South Wales, and playing
cricket anytime soon is not on the agenda of things he plans to do.
“It will be very hard to play on next year so
this could be my last game at the SCG,” he said. “It’s not 100 per
cent confirmed, and I’ll make sure the right people know that at the right
time.
“I’ve had a great time playing it and now the
expectation around your training and your body, committing to cricket 12 months
of the year is probably something that’s a bit past me at the moment.
“I feel really fulfilled with what I’ve done
career-wise and very, very happy. I’ve had a lot of fun this year and am
certainly still enjoying it.”
While his post-playing career ambitions involve a stint
to be a spin-bowling coach and sojourns in commentary duty as well, for now he
is set to takes things on the low.
“I’m just going to sit in front of the TV and
become an armchair expert,” he joked. “I might open a Twitter page
and see how much trouble I can get into doing that.”