Experience could trump form in Australia A ‘bat-off’ as Sam Konstas departs for duck

A duck for Australia A may have complicated Sam Konstas’ path to the Test side, with the national coach outlining another issue.

Sam Konstas and Cameron Bancroft both fell for ducks against India A as Australian coach Andrew McDonald conceded a lack of big-game experience could count against the NSW teenager.

McDonald said Konstas would face “incredible challenges” if he was picked for the Test series against India, with the 19-year-old yet to play a red-ball match at the first three venues: Perth Stadium, the Gabba and Adelaide Oval.

Fellow opening spot contenders Marcus Harris and Nathan McSweeney were the last ones standing only 23 balls into the first innings as the hosts slumped to 2-9 after skittling India A for 107 on Thursday.

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Young Test hopeful Sam Konstas departs for duck 🦆

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The quartet were made to wait to begin their “bat-off” after McSweeney won the toss and elected to bowl, but given his chance before the tea break, Konstas prodded at his third ball delivery from Mukesh Kumar and was out caught behind.

Bancroft departed for a 14-ball duck, out strangled down the legside in a mode of dismissal which has troubled the West Australian opener over the last few years.

It was his third duck in five first-class innings after a horror opening two Shield games yielded only 10 runs.

McDonald said Australia’s selectors would not make a decision on who would partner Usman Khawaja until after the A series, but denied it was all down to runs in the two games.

South Australian 30-year-old quick Brendan Doggett claimed his third career five-wicket haul to help demolish India A for 107 in Mackay on Thursday. Picture: Albert Perez / Getty Images

“I see it hotting up today,” McDonald joked on Thursday when asked about the competition for the vacant spot.

“People have spoken about a ‘bat-off’ and those types of terms – there’s a lot of context and consideration around body of work for those senior players in Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft … clearly Sam Konstas hasn’t been able to have that body of work behind him because of the limited Shield cricket that he’s played … and obviously Nathan McSweeney is somewhere in the middle of that.

“You take Sam for example, he’s had limited experience in Perth, and then obviously up to the Gabba, so there’s incredible challenges for players who haven’t played in those conditions before, but it’s not to say that he can’t do that either – he’s a fast learner.

Jordan Buckingham struck twice early in Mackay to help reduce India A to 3-32, claiming 2-17 from his first spell after Australia A chose to bowl first. Picture: Albert Perez / Getty Images

“Marcus Harris – of course it’s not long ago that he played a blinding innings out here (at the MCG) against England, I think he got 70 runs in that game … and it was hugely important.”

South Australian quick Brendan Doggett, who was parachuted into the squad as an injury replacement for Liam Hatcher – who himself was already a replacement for a sore Mark Steketee – claimed figures of 6-15 as the tourists capitulated to be all out within 48 overs.

Keeper Josh Philippe pouched five catches behind the stumps as Jordan Buckingham struck for the first two wickets, including the prized dismissal of Abhimanyu Easwaran.

Easwaran, 29, had made five centuries in his previous seven first-class matches including an unbeaten double century.

Offspinner Todd Murphy was introduced within the first hour and also challenged the Indian batters, claiming a tidy 1-26 from 10 overs.