Sam Konstas has given his chances of a Test recall an enormous boost with a second-innings century that dragged New South Wales back into their Sheffield Shield clash against South Australia at Cricket Central in Sydney. The 21-year-old opener was unbeaten on 109 off 129 balls at stumps on day two, with NSW 191 for 2 and ahead by 70 runs, and he is now the only player with multiple centuries in this season’s Shield competition. It was his sixth first-class hundred, and his second of the season after an unbeaten 151 earlier in the summer.
Konstas had to earn it. NSW were bowled out for 204 in their first innings, with Ollie Davies’ 70 the top score, and South Australia replied with 325, powered by Jake Weatherald’s 142. Trailing by 121, Konstas returned to the crease against a relentless short-ball assault from the visitors and calmly guided his state back into the lead, sharing a vital 117-run stand with Kurtis Patterson. He was dropped on 69 by Jason Sangha at first slip off Ben Manenti, and made the most of the reprieve to finish the day unbeaten alongside Ryan Hicks on 10.
The innings keeps Konstas firmly in the reckoning for Australia’s Test squad to meet New Zealand, which will be picked after this round of Shield matches. Dropped by the national selectors in July last year after five Tests, he has now scored 71, 151 not out, 5, 2, 24 and Thursday’s unbeaten hundred in the Shield this season, plus 149 in a 50-over match. Weatherald, who made his 15th first-class century before finishing on 142, and Nathan McSweeney, who managed only 16, are also in the frame, but it is Konstas who has the runs on the board.
At the Gabba, Marnus Labuschagne produced an unlikely answer to his own dropping from the New Zealand Test squad. After managing just 12 with the bat, the former world No. 1 turned his arm over to devastating effect, taking three wickets for six runs as Tasmania were bowled out for 133, still trailing by 215. Labuschagne removed Test teammates Beau Webster for 54 and Matt Kuhnemann for 6, the latter caught and bowled, before adding Gabe Bell for a duck, leaving Queensland in a dominant position.
At the MCG, Western Australia refused to fold after Victoria’s declaration. Aaron Hardie and Corey Wasley shared an unbroken 101-run stand through to stumps, taking the visitors to 185 for 3 in reply to Victoria’s 402 for 5 declared, built on Handscomb’s unbeaten 169 and Macdonald’s 116. With the Test squad for New Zealand to be named after this round, the final two days promise to settle more than one selection debate.
Related:
Handscomb’s Unbeaten 169 Powers Victoria to 402 for 5 Declaration Against Western Australia
Marnus Labuschagne Dropped for New Zealand Tests as Australia End His 49-Innings Wait for a Century
