‘“The system has let us down”: Ex-Australian spinner voices outrage over Matt Kuhnemann’s predicament’

Steve O’Keefe has expressed strong criticism regarding the predicament Matt Kuhnemann is facing, asserting that the “system has let him down” as an Australian spinner.

In a shocking turn of events following Australia’s 2-0 series victory against Sri Lanka, match officials flagged the left-arm orthodox bowler for a questionable bowling action.

Kuhnemann excelled during the series in Galle, claiming 16 wickets at an impressive average of 17.18. However, he is now required to undergo a stringent testing procedure to validate his bowling action.

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While he will still be able to participate in the Sheffield Shield during this evaluation process, the situation has left a bitter taste in O’Keefe’s mouth, who has represented Australia in nine Test matches.

During an appearance on SEN Radio, O’Keefe challenged how Kuhnemann, who has played extensively over the years, could suddenly be in this position, and he expressed confidence in Kuhnemann’s ability to pass the assessment.

“He’s played over 100 professional matches in front of match referees in both the Big Bash and first-class cricket,” O’Keefe noted.

“He’s trained under coaches who have followed his development closely over the years. It might be a case of hyperextension, but I don’t foresee any issues with his action.

“This is a challenging situation for the player, especially following a brilliant series in Sri Lanka, and having to undergo this arduous process is unfortunate.

“It’s a cold environment, you’re left to your own devices, they wrap you up and put you through tests with rigid parameters.

Moreover, Kuhnemann is not the only Australian bowler facing this scrutiny, as Chris Green previously received a 90-day ban before rectifying his action and making a comeback. Brett Lee’s and Shoaib Akhtar’s actions have also been examined while they were battling to be the fastest bowlers in the world, clocking speeds around the 160 km/h mark.

Nevertheless, according to O’Keefe, officials must take proactive measures earlier in players’ careers to minimise the chances of issues arising at the highest level.

“I believe if we don’t address this at an early stage or identify players with potentially suspect actions, it could spell trouble for Australia,” O’Keefe stated.

“We want to avoid these situations at the elite level; just think if we had an upcoming tour of India and he was set to be our leading spinner – he’d miss out.

“In my view, the system has failed him, but I’m confident there will be nothing to worry about for Matt Kuhnemann… I think he’ll come through just fine.”