Gary Keedy: The Man That International Cricket Forgot?

English cricket has never been known for its world class spinners, and many have been tried at International level.

But one that hasn't and can consider himself very unlucky not to be have been given the chance, is Lancashire's left arm spin bowler Gary Keedy.

Keedy is not the best batter or fielder, but you don't have to look too far to find another player with the same frailties, for example, Monty Panesar, who is top of the pack at test level for England.

The 33-year-old has probably missed the boat now, but there will always be that "What if…" factor if England had given Keedy the chance.

With some of the players that get the chance to play for their country, "Keeds" has the right to feel slightly aggrieved at never getting the chance.

It's not like his county performances haven't merited it.  In 2003, he took 60 wickets, and in 2004, he took 72 wickets and finished as the highest wicket-taker amongst English-qualified spinners, which won him the LBM Player of the Year Award for Lancashire.

The nearly-man was tipped to be selected for the 2003 tour to Bangladesh and in the squad for the tour of Pakistan in 2005 but never quite made it.

His only international recognition is the Under-19 tour he went on more than a decade ago.

Injury and the arrival of players such as Muttiah Muralitharan at Lancashire could be some of the reasons that he has never quite made the international arena but the fact remains that one of the best spinners of this generation never got the chance to represent his country.  

The view is shared by many as he was voted as the best county player never to have played for England in All Out Cricket's October 2006 edition.

But his performances this season, while not setting the world alight, have been decent enough to keep his name up there for selection if Panesar is injured or the selectors want to go for something different in the series against South Africa.  

Otherwise, Gary Keedy may well be the man that international cricket forgot.