Kerry O'Keeffe was touted to be an upcoming giant of Australian cricket due to his potent leg spin and clean ball-striking skills. However, it never really fell into place for the New South Wales man in international cricket. Neither was he able to make a sterling impact with the ball over his Test career, nor was his batting making the right noises frequently. Kerry got debuted in First-class cricket as a teenage prodigy and very soon, got his chance to represent the country at the age of 22. For the first three years, he was a regular starter in the team before inconsistency forced the selectors to look elsewhere. Kerry still managed to make a comeback in the 1976-77 season in which he registered two of his best Test performances, including his only five-wicket haul. However, the form didn't spike as much and he got dropped.

Kerry played on in the domestic circuit for a couple more seasons before retiring after the 1979-80 season. A jovial character both on and off the field, Kerry became a widely popular commentator for ABC radio, sarcasm and quick wit being his standout qualities. The best part about him was his modesty and ability to take a jibe at himself. Kerry also tried his hand in the media field and journalism. Kerry's ability with the bat was underrated, as he could strike the ball really long from a very stable base which made him a reliable hitter. However, that aspect of his game was never really utilized to the fullest. As it turned out, his commentary was what made him immensely popular, comfortably overshadowing his cricketing days by some distance.

By Hariprasad Sadanandan