Consider Copeland for Ashes tour: O'Keefe

Seamer Copeland hasn't played an international since making all three of his Test appearances in Sri Lanka in 2011, but is enjoying a bountiful domestic campaign.

With the Blues' pace trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood unavailable for Sheffield Shield duty, the 33-year-old Copeland has spearheaded their attack.

He's taken 44 wickets in eight games, the third-highest tally of any bowler, behind Tasmanian Jackson Bird (50 from 10) and Victorian Scott Boland (45 from nine), although his average of 18.65 is lower than the other two,

"He's been unbelievable and his numbers sort of show that I think it would be remiss of the Aussie selectors not to take him to England, even if it's in the A squad," O'Keefe said.

"I think he's bowling the best in his career. He's just got past Alan Davidson (in ninth spot) all time (wicket taking list) for NSW.

"A guy who has never ever really been thought of, and is probably going to be one of NSW's great bowlers, so very happy for him.

"I wouldn't be surprised if you saw his name in a 17-man squad in the Ashes series, for sure."

Copeland has experience in English conditions, having played country cricket in 2013 for Northamptonshire.

O'Keefe has been cleared to play in this week's Shield final against Victoria in Melbourne after missing the Blues' final regular-season game with a hamstring issue.

One of the more-consistent tweakers in domestic cricket over the past decade, O'Keefe played the last of his nine Tests in September 2017 in Bangladesh.

While he hadn't totally given up hope of an Ashes call-up, the 34-year-old left-armer considered it unlikely.

"I'm not holding out for anything. I was told a couple of years ago that maybe I was too old and they were looking to the future," says O'Keefe, who has taken 19 Shield wickets at 26 this season.

Australian Associated Press