Teenage prodigy Sam Konstas has wasted another opportunity to impress the national selectors ahead of this month’s first Test, falling to a horrible dismissal in Australia A’s clash with India A on Saturday.
Dismissed for a third-ball duck in the first innings at Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay, Konstas was building momentum in the second before, on 16 (33 balls), he shouldered arms to an angled delivery from fast bowler Mukesh Kumar and had his off stump knocked out of the ground.
With national selector Tony Dodemaide watching on, Konstas looked back at his stumps in disbelief at what had transpired, his hopes of playing in the first Test against India in Perth from November 22 taking a major hit.
Since back-to-back centuries for NSW against South Australia to open the Sheffield Shield season, Konstas’ form has tapered off.
His hopes of featuring in the five-Test series were not enhanced by comments from national coach and selector Andrew McDonald this week, who pointed out Konstas, with only six first-class games to his credit, had “limited experience in Perth, pink-ball games, and then [we are] off to the Gabba”. However, McDonald said Konstas was a fast learner.
In what is a battle for the vacancy at the top of the Test order, Marcus Harris, who opened with Konstas, Cameron Bancroft and Nathan McSweeney all hope to impress in Australia A’s second innings.
Harris made only 17 in the first innings, having been dropped on eight, before falling in familiar fashion when he nicked off and was caught at slip.
Bancroft had been the standout opener in domestic cricket in the past two seasons, but has had nothing to crow about so far this season. A 14-ball duck in the first innings of this clash left him with only 10 runs across five first-class innings in October.
McSweeney, who typically bats at No.3 for South Australia, was used at No.4 in the first innings. He made 39, and could be shoe-horned into the Test opener’s role should the selectors feel he is the right man to partner Usman Khawaja.
Failure to launch: Young gun Sam Konstas wasted an opportunity in the second innings of the Australia A clash against India A.Credit: Getty Images
Former Australia coach and selector Justin Langer went into bat for Bancroft, 32, this month, before the A game, declaring his fellow Sandgroper deserved another chance to add to his 10 Tests, where he averages an uninspiring 26.23. In a column with The West Australian, Langer said Harris had claims but “he is not as good a fielder as Bancroft and bats half of the season at the flat Junction Oval, which isn’t his fault”.
Langer said Konstas has an excellent technique, for he “stands” at the crease and has an appetite for runs. But he said the selectors must decide if, at 19, this is the right time for Konstas, or whether his time will be when Khawaja, 38, steps aside.
Harris, 32, averages even less than Bancroft at Test level (25.29), and has a top score of 79 in his 14 appearances.
McDonald said this week that the selectors won’t make a final call on the Test squad until after the second A game concludes in Melbourne on November 10.
Earlier on day three, India A were dismissed for 312 in their second innings, losing eight wickets in an extended morning session, setting Australia A 225 to win. Paceman Fergus O’Neill (4-55 off 24 overs) and off-spinner Todd Murphy (3-77 off 28) were the pick of the bowlers.
More to come
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