Australia’s Test squad flew to Perth on Sunday. Sam Konstas played an under-21s match

3 weeks ago 12

Sam Konstas’ difficult run since Australia’s tour of the West Indies continued on Sunday when the axed Test opener was dismissed for 17 in an under-21s match for Sutherland in the Sydney grade competition.

On the same day Australia’s Test squad flew to Perth for Friday’s Ashes opener, Konstas turned out in a surprise appearance for Sutherland in a Poidevin-Gray Shield fixture at Mark Taylor Oval as he searched for runs and rhythm.

Konstas joins injured trio Pat Cummins (back), Sean Abbott (hamstring) and Josh Hazlewood (hamstring) as NSW products who won’t feature in the Ashes opener.

Australia are not expected to draft in another fast bowler to replace Hazlewood, who was ruled out of the first Test on Saturday after suffering a hamstring injury during the Sheffield Shield clash with Victoria last week.

Hazlewood remains hopeful of featuring later in the series, but Cricket Australia has offered no indication of a return date. The right-arm bowler has no structured bowling program in place as he allows the injury to settle.

Less than a fortnight after being left out of Australia’s squad for the first Test, following a mediocre start to the Sheffield Shield season, Konstas did what few international cricketers would do – helped out his club teammates. It was a gesture that says a lot about his character.

Sam Konstas played for Sutherland’s under-21 team on Sunday.

On Saturday, Konstas made 73 from 83 balls in a Sydney first grade match before falling to Liam Doddrell.

A day later, the 20-year-old opened the batting in the under-21s competition, but was caught behind for 17 off 30 balls from the bowling of Northern Districts’ Addison Sherriff, a former Australian under-19s representative.

It continues a lean stretch for Konstas, who dazzled with 60 on Test debut at the MCG last summer but has struggled to meet expectations since.

Konstas had been used in Cricket Australia’s promotional material ahead of the Ashes.

Sam Konstas made 17 for Sutherland in an under-21s match on Sunday.

He managed just 50 runs from six innings on the recent Test tour of the Caribbean and has 161 runs from eight innings for NSW this Sheffield Shield season.

Selectors had hoped Konstas would find form and keep his place alongside Usman Khawaja, but he was replaced in the Ashes squad by Jake Weatherald, who is in line for a Test debut on Friday.

“There’s a handful of young guys his age playing Shield cricket around the country, and they’re all learning and going through a journey of being the best cricketer they can be. Sammy is no different,” chief selector George Bailey said earlier this month. “He just happens to be doing it under what seems to be immense scrutiny.”

Konstas’ former batting coach, Neil D’Costa, warned last year that thrusting the teenager into Test cricket carried risks.

D’Costa, who now coaches Marnus Labuschagne and also mentored Michael Clarke and Phillip Hughes, said Konstas had work to do.

“I feel sorry for Sam because he never should have been put in that position,” D’Costa said this week. “His technique was immature, his game plans were immature, his understanding of his game was immature.

“He got extremely lucky in that Test match against India. He could have been out 15 times. Most of the key elements that you need, with the shapes as a batsman, he’s not got at all.”

Konstas’ next match will be for NSW in their Sheffield Shield clash with Tasmania starting on Saturday.