Sam Konstas ‘looking pretty sharp’ in net practice as speculation about who will open in the WTC heats up
The battle between Marnus Labuschagne and Sam Konstas is heating up in practice for the World Test Championship with the teenager impressing against Australia’s champion attack.
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Sam Konstas is breathing down Marnus Labuschagne’s neck for a place in the World Test Championship Final as officials flagged the prospect of a “juiced” up pitch at Lord’s.
Test matches aren’t won in the nets, but Konstas is leaving nothing on the table in his selection shootout with Labuschagne after another standout session from the teenage tyro facing Australia’s champion attack on fast centre-wicket decks in London on Friday.
Australian coach Andrew McDonald said earlier this week that selectors do look for certain cues from how players move in training as D-Day looms for a final call on the XI to take on South Africa at Lord’s on Wednesday.
Rain stopped Australia from training on Thursday and more wet weather was also forecast for Saturday, prompting MCC President Mark Nicholas to ponder what effect it might have on conditions come Wednesday at Lord’s – especially when Australia and South Africa are both armed with the most feared fast bowlers in world cricket.
“Now we’ve suddenly got wet weather for a couple of days so maybe that will juice up the pitch a bit. Who knows? The pitch for last week’s last game here was a belter so you never know quite, but with England you look above rather than down and when you get weather like this it can zip around and that means on the first morning with these quality seamers, you’d probably knock a fair few over,” Nicholas said, with the current forecast looking clear for the match.
Test spinner Nathan Lyon has worked closely with Konstas over recent weeks and praised the 19-year-old for the way he’s striking the ball in London, after Australia concluded its second main training session on Friday.
“Obviously Sam’s a talent. He’s obviously learning the game and we can see that throughout his cricket, but he’s a fast learner,” Lyon said.
“To be honest with you, he’s looking pretty sharp here at the moment. Nice and compact. We’ll see how we go.
“The way I see Sam, he’s obviously an extreme talent. He’s going to be a big player for Australia for the next 10-15 years. There’s no point hiding behind that.
“But … he’s only 19. I think we’ve got to remember that.
“He played a special innings (on debut against India) at the MCG, but I’ve seen him play some incredible knocks back at state level where he’s had to work his backside off and bat long periods of time.
“I know Sam’s got that game in him.”
They might be in competition for a spot at the top of the Australian order, but Lyon said Konstas would do well to watch the diligence of Labuschagne’s preparation.
“He’s learning and I think this tour he’s going to hopefully thrive off watching Marnus, watching Smithy, watching these guys train (and) the way they talk about batting. That’s only going to grow his game.”
Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood was the only player who didn’t train on Friday, but that is only because he’s fresh off the plane from India where he led Royal Challengers Bangalore to the title.
Hazlewood is set to bowl at training on Saturday morning back out at Kent’s county cricket ground at Beckenham in south London.
For Lyon, his return to Test match cricket at Lord’s is significant given the magnitude of the devastating calf injury he suffered at the ground in the stunning Ashes Test of 2023.
Australia might have hobbled over the line to win that Test, but losing Lyon was almost undoubtedly the turning point of the Ashes as England clawed back from 2-0 down to draw the series.
“Obviously it wasn’t ideal last time there, but at the end of the day, we won that Test match, so there was pretty good circumstances at the end of the day,” Lyon said.
“If we can go there and win another Test match, we’ll be a pretty happy group.
“I’m not worried about going back to Lord’s. I’ve played a lot of cricket since I did that calf injury. As Pat (Cummins) and Starcy (Mitchell Starc) and Josh (Hazlewood) keep telling me, I’m not the first bloke to ever get injured.”
Despite the focus on Lord’s being conducive for the quicks, Lyon said he loves the home of cricket and believes he can turn the ground’s notorious slope into a wicket-taking weapon against the Proteas.
“I actually love bowling at Lord’s. I love using the slope to my advantage,” Lyon said.
“I’ll probably look to bowl from the Nursery End and use that (slope) up my sleeve. That way you can bring both edges into play and see how we go.”
ENDS
Originally published as Sam Konstas ‘looking pretty sharp’ in net practice as speculation about who will open in the WTC heats up
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