Murali helps O'Keefe beat 'dead track'

There was no doosra, but Steve O'Keefe showed on the first day in Sharjah the benefits of working with Muttiah Muralitharan over the past week and a half. Muralitharan has been in the UAE with Australia's squad as a bowling consultant and his advice to O'Keefe proved invaluable on a surface that offered little for bowlers of any persuasion.

On a day when the frontline offspinner Nathan Lyon went wicketless, O'Keefe's return of 3 for 76 looked particularly respectable and should encourage the selectors as they consider a twin-spin attack for the first Test in Dubai. Notably, O'Keefe surprised the batsmen with several deliveries that kicked sharply off the pitch, and his accuracy helped keep the runs down for most of the day.

"It was a pretty dead track," O'Keefe said. "However, I think subtle variations, particularly stuff I've worked with Murali through the week have really helped out. I think you've got to expect that, don't you, on a day when the pitch [doesn't have much]. You've just got to nickel and dime it, and find a wicket. In saying that, they batted really well and Shafiq batted beautifully and deserved his hundred.

"Your main thing on these sort of wickets is you have to be hitting the stumps, give yourself a chance. And then the rest is moving around the crease, cross-seam can be quite effective on these wickets, given that the ball can skip off sometimes and bounce maybe if it hits the seam. I think that's what Murali has been invaluable with, those sorts of variations.

"I still think there's a lot to work on. That's the aim of the game, to get wickets. Particularly as a spinner on day one, you can certainly help the quicks out and try to go for less than two or three [runs an over] - I probably went a bit expensive towards the end. But to get three of their top seven out, I'll take a lot out of that."

Pakistan A had trouble getting O'Keefe away early and his first wicket was that of Babar Azam, who advanced and tried to clear mid-on but managed only to find the fielder. Later, he bowled Haris Sohail with a ball that drifted across and straightened, immediately after Sohail had crunched a six over midwicket, and his third wicket came when Adnan Akmal edged to slip, perhaps surprised by some extra bounce.

O'Keefe appears a likely debutant for the Dubai Test next week, although the precise make-up of Australia's side will depend on the pitch and also on the ability of allrounder Mitchell Marsh to prove his fitness to bowl in the second innings in Sharjah. Despite his success on the first day, O'Keefe said he was not yet thinking of a baggy green, just of getting through this game.

"I get nervous, I've been nervous since I was eight and sitting exams," he said. "It's part of my natural make-up to get a little nervous but I'm sort of comfortable with that.

"Today was an opportunity to bowl, I'll get another opportunity in the next innings, but I'm not looking too far ahead. I'm certainly not thinking I've got a baggy green, it's just 'let's get through this match, let's get a win, let's keep contributing' and the rest will dictate itself."