Gabba master quickly end to teen star Sam Konstas’ return to Sheffield Shield

Australian cricket’s teen phenom Sam Konstas showed there’s two sides to his game as he put the ramp shot away, but it didn’t last long as a Gabba master put an end to his return to the Sheffield Shield.

Sam Konstas was the main drawcard for fans. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

There was not a ramp shot in sight as Sam Konstas was given a probing tutorial in Gabba warfare by one of the venue’s old masters today.

Drawcard Konstas (3) managed just one scoring shot in 33 balls before following an away mover from Xavier Bartlett and being caught behind just after lunch on day two of the Sheffield Shield match between NSW and Queensland at the Gabba. The Blues were 4-26 chasing Queensland’s 387.

Bartlett got the wicket but Konstas’ greatest memory of Gabba debut will be the relentless pressure applied by former Test swing man Michael Neser.

Sent home from the Sri Lankan tour to bat at the Gabba for the first time, Konstas shrewdly went into survival mode when facing a mesmerising opening spell from new ball whiz Neser.

Sam Konstas managed just one scoring shot. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

On a pitch which had some new ball life, Kontas was pushed to the limits of his ability against pin-point, probing Neser who can bristle with a special sort of menace when armed with a new cherry at the Gabba.

One Konstas edge of Neser flew just wide of Ben McDermott at third slip. Once he was squared up by a late away seamer. Then he survived a loud lbw shout which may have missed leg. Then he was hit on the gloves.

Simply scrambling through Neser’s excellent pre-lunch spell was worth the experience of Konstas batting first the first time at the venue where he is likely to face England next summer.

The innings will prove to him that survival on a greenish Gabba deck requires razor sharp judgement, patience and a fair slice of good luck.

Konstas did not trouble the scorers for 26 balls before he punched a cover drive for three for his only scoring shot before lunch.

The crowd of around 400 was one of the biggest here for a Shield game in recent seasons, no doubt due to Konstas, who stopped and signed autographs as he left the field for lunch.

Though dropped from the Test team Konstas is still considered likely to return for Australia’s next Test, the World Test Championship against South Africa at Lords.

Originally published as Gabba master quickly end to teen star Sam Konstas’ return to Sheffield Shield