Australia’s Steve O’Keefe Banned, Fined for 2nd Drunken Incident
Cricket Australia punished O’Keefe for making “highly inappropriate comments” while under the influence of alcohol.
Australian spinner Steve O'Keefe has been fined 20,000 AUD and banned from a domestic one-day tournament after making "highly inappropriate comments" while under the influence of alcohol, Cricket Australia said on Friday.
The incident happened at a Cricket New South Wales function and O'Keefe, one of the best bowlers during Australia's recent four-Test series in India, had accepted a code of conduct charge, the board said in a statement.
The New South Wales left-armer was fined $10,000 by CA last August for a drunken incident involving security staff at a Sydney bar soon after he returned home injured from Australia's tour of Sri Lanka.
The incident prompted O'Keefe to stop drinking and he was selected for the tour of India, where he took 6-35 in both innings to lead Australia to a stunning victory in the first test in late February.
O'Keefe has agreed to undergo counselling, but his state association Cricket NSW still banned him for selection for New South Wales for the domestic one-day tournament in 2017.
"As this is his second recent offence, we believe a strong penalty is appropriate. At Cricket NSW, we want all our people to achieve their potential on and off the field and Stephen needs to refocus himself on that task."
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