Major Konstas problem strikes again before England heat check, NSW embarrassed after declaring
Sam Konstas will have one more Sheffield Shield match before the mid-season break to rectify his difficult start to the red-ball summer after another low score for NSW.
Konstas was dismissed for 19 in the second innings against Tasmania, again beaten by a balling jagging back off a good length, this time from Jackson Bird.
It took a strong catch by wicketkeeper Jake Doran to send Konstas on his way, but it was a similar type of ball that has been his downfall regularly this season.
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Konstas, 20, made a hundred against India ahead of the Australian domestic summer, but has passed 50 just once in 11 innings for the Blues since.
He is named to play against England for the Prime Minister’s XI this weekend in the nation’s capital. In the same fixture last year against India, was one of the catalysts for Konstas’ memorable Australian debut.
Konstas struck a century against a strong Indian attack, delivering a glimpse of the reverse ramps he brought out on debut in the Boxing Day Test.
Despite having Konstas plus multiple prospects proclaimed the future of Australian cricket, NSW flopped to an embarrassing innings defeat to Tasmania – despite declaring their first innings.
After the Blues posted 9d-391 in their opening knock, centuries to Caleb Jewell, Tim Ward and Nikhil Chaudhary set up the monster score for the Tigers.
The hosts were then bowled out for 174, losing by an innings and 58 runs.
At Test level, only 17 teams have lost after declaring in their first innings, including Australia against India in 2013.
Tigers seamer Gabe Bell claimed three wickets in an over, including the controversial dismissal of Blues wicketkeeper Josh Philippe.
Philippe was given out caught behind after a brief consultation between the on-field umpires, perhaps discussing whether Tigers gloveman Jake Doran had taken a clean catch down the leg side.
The previous evening, Queensland handed Victoria its first loss of the Shield season on Monday night, winning by seven wickets under lights at the Gabba.
Gurinder Sandhu was named man of the match for his game-changing 5/23 in the second innings.
Xavier Bartlett did his chances of an Ashes squad call-up no harm, making 72 with the bat before taking 4/35 with the ball in the first innings.
Elsewhere, Western Australia was 2-130, still trailing South Australia by 15 runs, in their Sheffield Shield clash at Adelaide Oval.
