Test hopeful Sam Konstas’ remarkable century hit rate since his breakthrough ton at 14

He’s been hailed an overnight sensation, but the numbers prove potential Test sensation Sam Konstas is anything but. BEN HORNE dissects the young maestro’s sensational career so far.

Sam Konstas has been touted as an overnight sensation, but before the world even started watching he’d already left a glittering trail of three figure achievements behind him.

Sydney Premier Cricket guru Tom Iceton, who hails from Konstas’ club Sutherland, has assembled a stunning statistical profile of the NSW Test hopeful who has been churning out centuries since he was 14 years of age.

Konstas, now 19, has in fact amassed 22 hundreds since first making grade five years ago, making at least one at every single level he has played.

Iceton is adamant Konstas is the only cricketer to have come through the NSW system ever to achieve this feat of utter domination.

“Sam has now scored 22 centuries in Sheffield Shield, Australian and NSW under 19s matches and Premier Cricket,” Iceton wrote for CricConnect.

“This includes centuries in first to fifth grades, first grade limited overs, Poidevin-Gray Shield and AW Green Shield.

“He’s believed to be the only player to have achieved this feat.”

It is one of the reasons why former Test great Brett Lee believes Konstas would be ready for a call-up this summer if selectors promote him to the vacant opening spot for the first Test against India.

“There are players that the higher the level they go, the better the cricketers they are,” Lee said.

Many around the grade cricket scene compare Konstas’ statistical output to that of Phillip Hughes, who also scored hundreds for fun at every level he played.

Ollie Davies has seen plenty of Konstas in Premier Cricket and now shares a dressing room with him at NSW, and soon for Australia A.

Konstas’ might have failed to go on with it against Victoria this week, but he’s fresh from twin centuries against South Australia – the youngest man to post two tons in a Shield match since Ricky Ponting.

Sam Konstas became the youngest man to post two tons in a Shield match since Ricky Ponting. Picture: Getty

According to Davies, Konstas’ ability to consistently compile centuries – regardless of the level he is playing – is an extremely unique attribute.

“The thing I think that impresses people the most is how he just bangs them (centuries) in Grade cricket as well,” Davies said.

“He goes back there and scores hundreds for fun. I think that’s a very rare thing to do – to hit hundreds so easily.

“I think he’s definitely shown that he’s got the mindset to do it and if everything falls into place, he’ll do very well for NSW and Australia for a long time.”

“I think will definitely play Test cricket for Australia if not this summer, then definitely very soon.

“He’s jumped onto the scene pretty quick I guess. I hadn’t really had much to do with him before last season and then he came through a couple of training sessions with us and was batting and next thing you know he’s playing Shield cricket for us and then banged them (twin hundreds) in the first game.

“Hopefully for him and us as well that if he can put a few more scores on the board in the next few games then definitely he puts his hand forward for a potential opening spot in the Test side.”