Simon Brian Keene[1] (born 21 October 2000) is a New Zealand cricketer who has played five first-class and two List A matches. A bowler who can bat, Keene has had success playing for the Auckland cricket team. He was the equal third-highest wicket-taker in the 2021–22 Plunket Shield season. His 25 wickets in the season were at the cost of just 14.28 runs apiece.
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Simon Bryan Keene | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 21 October 2000 Auckland, New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm medium-fast | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Bowler | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021/22–present | Auckland | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 19 May 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career
Before his senior career for Auckland, Keene played seven Youth ODIs for the New Zealand national under-19 cricket team in January 2020, including three matches in the Under-19 Cricket World Cup. In total, he scored 42 runs at a batting average of 7.00 and took 3 wickets at a bowling average of 43.00.[2] In the next season, he played two matches for a New Zealand XI, consisting of mostly young players not appearing for their province in the Super Smash, against the Pakistan Shaheens. In the matches, on 3 January and 5 January, Keene took 4 wickets in total.[3][4]
Keene made his senior debut as a 20-year-old on 11 February 2022 in the Plunket Shield, batting at 9 and bowling second change. In the game, for Auckland against Otago, he took match figures of 7 wickets for 38 runs conceded (7–38).[5]
One week later, Keene played two List A matches in the Ford Trophy for Auckland. On debut, he took 4–47 off 10 overs to help Auckland to a win. In the second game Keene did not get any wickets, but he did take a catch and was not out in a close run chase.[6][7] As he did not play in the final of the Ford Trophy, which Auckland won, Keene has not played any further one-day games.[8]
From 3–6 March, Keene played for Auckland against Canterbury in the Plunket Shield. He scored 0 runs in his sole innings, but took 8 wickets including 6–44 to secure a win for Auckland.[9] His next game was on 28 March, against Wellington; he took 6–51 and 2–38 in Auckland's win.[10] The following week he played again, this time against Central Districts, with his first senior cricket fifty – 65 off 108 deliveries – but took no wicket in 20 overs.[11] Keene played also in the final match of the season, against Canterbury, ending up with match figures of 2–70.[12]
Keene received his first professional contract, for Auckland, ahead of the 2022–23 cricket season.[13]