Sam Konstas is a terrific talent with a bright future, but unfortunately his twin centuries told us nothing we didn't already know. Cricket Australia's insistence on removing all the best bowlers from the Shield means that runs scored there are impossible to value accurately. Certainly, runs against South Australia on a dead track in October say nothing about how a player might shape up to Jasprit Bumrah in Perth.
I remember Rick McCosker forcing his way into the Australian side with a string of hundreds in 1974-75. Here are the bowlers he faced in the Shield: Queensland had Jeff Thomson, Tony Dell and Geoff Dymock. WA had Dennis Lillee and Terry Alderman. Victoria had Alan Hurst, Max Walker, Jim Higgs and Ray Bright. The selectors rightly realised that a man who could score runs against them (not that he made many against Thomson) might get a few against Geoff Arnold and Mike Hendrick.
Konstas scoring runs against Jordan Buckingham tells you only that he might get a few against Jack Nisbet.
I know, I know, bowlers have to rest so that they'll be fit for the IPL. But this is not how you produce Test match batsmen. It's now possible never to face a Test match bowler until you actually play in a Test match.
This Konstas guy can't win, he scores two centuries (one a 150) and he gets brickbats from some for doing it. What's he supposed to do, get out on 65 and 89 or something? Throw his wicket away? Retire out? He can only play what's in front of him, if the attack isn't test standard it's not his fault. Other more seasoned players didn't score that many against the same attack. Lucky he didn't score a 200 or a 300. Presumably he will play in Melbourne against Victoria in a week, with any luck he'll get more runs. Maybe it's best he doesn't ... or there'll be more friction.
Then of course there are some in the West who think that modern bowlers don’t bowl enough, so they break down because they’re under prepared. Whatever the cause there are a lot of bowlers out with injuries atm…
Sam Konstas is a terrific talent with a bright future, but unfortunately his twin centuries told us nothing we didn't already know. Cricket Australia's insistence on removing all the best bowlers from the Shield means that runs scored there are impossible to value accurately. Certainly, runs against South Australia on a dead track in October say nothing about how a player might shape up to Jasprit Bumrah in Perth.
I remember Rick McCosker forcing his way into the Australian side with a string of hundreds in 1974-75. Here are the bowlers he faced in the Shield: Queensland had Jeff Thomson, Tony Dell and Geoff Dymock. WA had Dennis Lillee and Terry Alderman. Victoria had Alan Hurst, Max Walker, Jim Higgs and Ray Bright. The selectors rightly realised that a man who could score runs against them (not that he made many against Thomson) might get a few against Geoff Arnold and Mike Hendrick.
Konstas scoring runs against Jordan Buckingham tells you only that he might get a few against Jack Nisbet.
I know, I know, bowlers have to rest so that they'll be fit for the IPL. But this is not how you produce Test match batsmen. It's now possible never to face a Test match bowler until you actually play in a Test match.
This Konstas guy can't win, he scores two centuries (one a 150) and he gets brickbats from some for doing it. What's he supposed to do, get out on 65 and 89 or something? Throw his wicket away? Retire out? He can only play what's in front of him, if the attack isn't test standard it's not his fault. Other more seasoned players didn't score that many against the same attack. Lucky he didn't score a 200 or a 300. Presumably he will play in Melbourne against Victoria in a week, with any luck he'll get more runs. Maybe it's best he doesn't ... or there'll be more friction.
Then of course there are some in the West who think that modern bowlers don’t bowl enough, so they break down because they’re under prepared. Whatever the cause there are a lot of bowlers out with injuries atm…
I love this stuff.
Never change.
Terrific conclusion to the article.
Harris has looked a like a deer in the headlights at the international level to me.
Renshaw seems an acquired taste.
Bancroft the secure choice in my opinion but I’m not against blasting the 19 year old in there for a Cinderella story…..or it could wreck him.
Bancroft I reckon.