O'Keefe eyes the end after match-winning spell

Ageless Sydney Sixers spinner Steve O'Keefe says he is eyeing the end of his professional career despite turning in another match-winning performance to down the Thunder at the SCG on Saturday night.

The 37-year-old struck with his first ball to remove the dangerous Alex Hales after missing the previous two games with a hand injury, before going on to take 4-18 and reducing the Thunder to 5-61 to effectively end the contest.

After his player-of-the-match performance, the left-armer was asked if he had been offered a new contract by the Sixers to play on next season.

"I don't think I'd sign it," said O'Keefe, who also claimed 35 wickets in nine Tests for Australia.

"I think it'll be highly unlikely I'll go around next year, I'm just going to enjoy this year."

O'Keefe said whether he plays on or not was something that would probably be discussed in November this year before BBL|12 kicks off.

"We'll see how everything's looking but I won't be searching for it (a new contract)," he said.

"It's tougher and tougher each year when (to) get up and even tougher when you're probably not training as much as you used to.

"We've got some great kids at the club who I think deserve an opportunity now and if it's not this season then definitely next."

O'Keefe also pondered calling time on his career at the end of last season but signed on for another year in August.

He had only played one game of cricket this summer prior to the start of KFC BBL|11 and said after their first game it had been a challenge to motivate himself to play another season. 

But with 10 wickets from six matches, which includes two four wicket hauls, and an economy rate of 5.86 so far this season, you'd have to imagine the Sixers would welcome him back if he was keen to play on.

O'Keefe said his body was feeling "old, fat, slow and sore" and he felt fortunate he didn't have to run too much last night.

He revealed after the game that he had played the match and taken four wickets with five stitches in his hand.

"I dislocated my middle knuckle so that went out and then as it went out it split five stitches between my webbing," he said.

"The doctor put that back in and then stitched that up, and the stitches are still in there now, we've got to take it out tonight."

O'Keefe also missed three games earlier in the season with a calf injury, but he said that felt good after last night's match.

The Sixers said O'Keefe would be a game-by-game decision for the rest of the season.

The side is now in the box seat to finish in the top two after leapfrogging the Thunder with last night's crushing win by 60 runs.