Sam Konstas puts away ramp shot for second innings at SCG after wild opening day

Eyebrows were raised after a wild Sam Konstas SCG effort on Tuesday, but given a second chance to bat he went a different way, albeit with a similar result.

Second time around Sam Konstas got the message about toning down his wild batting antics, putting his reverse ramp away after NSW took control of the clash with Victoria.

Teen tyro Konstas left the ball four times facing Scott Boland in the opening over of his team’s second innings, but while he lasted 44 deliveries, 37 more than the first innings, he still only made 17, falling to Boland again.

After reverse ramping Boland for four, second ball he faced, in a wild opening to his innings on Tuesday, Konstas hardly played a shot in his first seven balls in the second dig.

He didn’t get off the mark until his 13th delivery, a more conservative approach in keeping with the style that netted him the twin hundreds that pushed him into the Test team.

But his returns of 3, 22, 10 and now 17 in four Sheffield Shield innings after being sent home from the tour of Sri Lanka could pose questions about his spot at the top of the Australian order for the World Test Championship final at Lord’s in June.

Sam Konstas batted more conventionally for NSW in the second innings but still only made 17. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

Konstas was given a second bat in as many days after veteran seamer Jackson Bird took two wickets in his opening over to help roll Victoria for 182, a deficit of 56.

The visitors then started with a fielder on the third man boundary to potentially catch any ramps from Konstas who hit one, but missed another, in the first innings, much to the dismay of former NSW coach Phil Jaques, who called it “unexplainable” batting.

The antics of the 19-year-old, who used the same approach in his Test debut against India but made just 10 against the Vics, raised some eyebrows, but Australian great Adam Gilchrist, prone to some pure slogging himself, suggested it was the “new way”.

With his guard well and truly up, Konstas only made one run in his first 22 balls before expanding his second innings, hitting three boundaries before Boland had him caught at point, slashing at a wide ball, just before tea.

But the NSW middle-order went on with the job and at stumps the home team was 4-134 and 190 runs in front.

The Sam Konstas story could be less an action-movie & more a suspense thriller in terms of us never knowing which Konstas will step out to bat, the conventional boy next door who leaves deliveries or the manic crusader who ramps & reverse ramps them. Either way, it’s enthralling

— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) February 19, 2025

After 45 wickets fell across the first day of the three Shield games at the SCG, Gabba and Adelaide Oval on Tuesday, the batters took back some control on day two.

While Victoria lost six wickets for not much, Western Australia put Queensland to the sword early, reaching 3-225 before Michael Neser (4-34) struck.

The visitors, last on the table having won the past three Shield titles, lost 4-20 but some late tail resistance helped them push to 312, a first innings lead of 165.

At the Adelaide Oval, having been rolled for just 93 in the first innings, South Australia lost Henry Hunt first ball of day two before opener Conor McInerney (61) and Jason Sangha (75) put on a 100-run stand in the home team’s second innings.

The Redbacks, who are top of the Shield table after years of poor results, pushed their lead past 250 towards the end of play with wickets in hands and into a strong position to cement top spot.

Originally published as Sam Konstas puts away ramp shot for second innings at SCG after wild opening day