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India A vs Aus A tie: Konstas dominates Day 1 with sparkling century
Australia A's Sam Konstas scored a century, helping his team post 337/5 against India A in the first unofficial Test, boosting Ashes opener hopes.
Even before the Australia A side began their journey for Lucknow last week for the two four-day unofficial Tests, scoring big runs was very much in the plans of both Sam Konstas and skipper Nathan McSweeney as they know that they have a chance to fill the vacant slot of regular opener for the upcoming Ashes series against England this November with first Test is slated to be played at Perth.
McSweeney’s chose to play at No 3 and could score just one, but stylish Konstas made his presence felt with authority, hitting a sparkling century on the opening day of the first match to help Australia A post a healthy 337/5 on a rain-curtailed day on the red soil turf of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium here on Tuesday. Liam Scott (47*) and keeper-batter Josh Philippe (3*) were batting at stumps.
Mentored by former Australia allrounder Shane Watson, right-hander batter Konstas, 19, was born 20 days after the 2005 Ashes finished and he scored his maiden international century against West Indies in the 2024 Under-19 World Cup.
Konstas’ century against India A happens to be his second against an Indian side as just before shining against India with a fine half-century in the Border-Gavaskar series early this year, he had scored 107 off 97 against the touring Indians for the Prime Minister’s XI.
Konstas, who will be cutting his 20th birthday cake next month, justified the decision of skipper McSweeney to bat first after winning the toss under a cloudy conditions and gave his side a steady start, scoring 31 runs in first 10 overs before stitching together 198 runs for the opening wicket with fellow opener Campbell Kellaway.
Making his intentions quite clear from the very first ball of play, which began almost after the lunch time, Konstas struck Prasidh Krishna’s first delivery for a straight boundary. Though he took the next 39 balls to strike his second boundary this time off pacer Gurnoor Brar. He didn’t spare even other bowlers, including Khaleel Ahmed, who remained quite expensive in his first six overs, conceding 32 runs after being hit for nine runs in an over.
Both Konstas and Kellaway remained aggressive against Indian bowlers, hitting boundaries quite often besides rotating strikes with a consummate ease. Kellaway was the first to go on the very first ball after lunch when he tried to play Brar on the backfoot and offered a simple catch to Tanush Kotian in mid-wicket after scoring 97-ball 88, which contained 10 boundaries and two sixes. It was Kellaway’s nine half-century in first-class cricket.
There was slump thereafter as skipper Sweeney (1) and Oliver Peake (2) departed in quick succession. Whereas Sweeney was trapped leg before wicket by Dubey, Peake missed the line of Ahmed’s swinging one to be declared leg before wicket. As the Australia A side crossed 200-run mark, Konstas’ innings too came to an end as he was castled by Dubey while playing a big hit in the mid wicket. Konstas’ 109-run knock came off 144 balls with the help of 10 boundaries and three sixes.
The happenings though let Indian pacers smile a bit, it was short lived as Cooper Connolly and Liam Scott seized the innings further, adding 109 runs for the fifth wicket. Before being caught by Devdutt Paddikkal at slip, Connolly struck 84-ball 70, which contained 12 boundaries and a six. Scott showed a lot of patience in the middle then, striking an unbeaten 47 (79b, 3x4, 2x6).
