Cricket: Why Scott Boland holds key to Sam Konstas’ Test future
Two centuries against South Australia will not get Sam Konstas in the Test team. But conquering one last challenge just might.
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Australian cricket could reactivate a 35-year-old selection ploy if Sam Konstas and Scott Boland - the rookie and the rock - have their expected Sheffield Shield showdown this weekend.
Way back in 1988 Australia’s selection panel sensed a young NSW opener Mark Taylor had Test match potential but wanted to see him frank his form by standing firm against a fearsome Test bowler.
Chairman of selectors Laurie Sawle watched Taylor make a robust 73 against Test match enforcer Merv Hughes in Sydney and declared to the rest of the panel at their next meeting “he’s ready …. anyone who can handle Merv can play a Test.’’
Taylor was then chosen for a Test debut against the West Indies before rocking the cricket world by dominating England in England when Australia won the 1989 Ashes series.
Boland does not have Hughes’ fire and brimstone, and at 35 may not be quite what he was, but the MCG is his personal playground and his Test match record of 35 wickets at 20 from 10 games says enough about his quality.
Like Taylor v Hughes, this clash is NSW v Victoria with a lot on the line.
If Konstas is a serious chance of being tossed in against the might of Jasprit Bumrah in the first Test in Perth, shining against Boland, expected to play on Sunday, is the essential next step.
As impressive as Konstas’ twin centuries were in the opening Shield game were they came on a flat deck against a so-so South Australian attack who bear no resemblance to the challenge Bumrah and company will offer in Perth next month.
At age 19, with just five first class games under his belt, Konstas will need to do more to win a Test cap than dominate South Australia.
But Australia is watching him closely. Matt Renshaw has faded from selection. Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft are in the frame but they have had their chances and the selectors don’t feel they ower them anything.
Former Test selector John Benaud was on the panel when Taylor, who went on to captain Australia and played 104 Tests, was chosen and he recalls the importance of batsmen proving themselves against top liners.
“As a selector it is something you want to see,’’ Benaud said.
“The same theory applied to Damien Martyn. We watched him go to Queensland and score twin centuries against an outstanding Queensland attack and you knew then he was quite a special young talent and you could pick him with confidence.’’
Martin dominated an attack which included Test players Craig McDermott, Andy Bichel and Michael Kasprowicz with scores of 133 not out and 112 in October 1992 and made his Test debut against the West Indies the following month.
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Originally published as Cricket: Why Scott Boland holds key to Sam Konstas’ Test future
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