Sam Konstas will walk out at the Junction Oval on Wednesday knowing the man with the new ball, Scott Boland, already has his number. The Victorian quick has removed the New South Wales opener four times in first-class cricket, and with Australia’s Ashes squad due in three weeks, every contest suddenly feels like an audition.
Nathan Lyon, seeking extra miles in the legs after just 31.5 overs in Perth, has been cleared to play despite suggestions he might be rested. “I wouldn’t look too much into that,” Lyon said on Monday of Konstas’ low scores on a tacky WACA surface. “It was a very naughty wicket.”
Queensland welcome Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne, while Alex Carey has been released from Australia’s ODI side to keep wicket for South Australia. Sean Abbott makes his first red-ball appearance of the season, hoping an eye-catching display might force the selectors’ hand after his ODI omission.
Key ins and outs
• Jack Edwards and Will Sutherland return from Australia A duty to captain NSW and Victoria respectively.
• Young spinners Todd Murphy and Tanveer Sangha earn their first Shield call-ups of the campaign.
• Josh Philippe is on ODI duty, leaving NSW light behind the stumps.
• Brendan Doggett (hamstring) and Beau Webster (ankle) miss a second match but are pencilled in for round three.
• WA travel without Cameron Green (ODIs) and Joel Paris (hamstring).
Konstas’ challenge
The 20-year-old right-hander managed just 4 and 14 on that difficult WACA strip, but stroked a lively 40 from 28 balls in the One-Day Cup two days later. Technique rather than temperament appears the concern: Boland trapped him twice last summer, the second dismissal a failed paddle scoop off the 13th ball of the match. Facing Boland, plus the returning Sutherland and Murphy, offers a timely yardstick.
Bowling workloads
Boland sent down 35 overs in Adelaide last week without apparent discomfort. Victoria expect him to back up, reinforcing the view that his fitness is no longer a question mark after last season’s rib trouble. Lyon, likewise, is keen for overs rather than rest, mindful that Australian spinners often head to an Ashes series under-cooked rather than over-bowled.
Selection ramifications
With David Warner retired and Marcus Harris out of favour, the vacant opening slot beside Khawaja feels wide open. Konstas, Cameron Bancroft and perhaps even Matt Renshaw—currently on ODI duty—remain in the frame. A substantial score against an attack featuring two Test and two Australia A bowlers would strengthen Konstas’ case immeasurably; a third successive failure would invite scrutiny.
Abbott, Carey, Labuschagne and Khawaja have fewer selection worries, but all four know Ashes places can vanish quickly if form deserts them in October. For now, the message is simple: perform this week and the phone rings later this month.
As Lyon put it, “There are [two] more games to play out before the Test side gets picked.” Those games start now, and they matter.
