Latest news with #AussieXI
Daily Maverick
4 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Maverick
Ngidi picked over Paterson as SA finalise squad for World Test Championship final
South Africa and Australia have both gone with all-rounders at first-drop for the World Test Championship final. Lungi Ngidi has cracked the nod for the World Test Championship (WTC) final over Dane Paterson as the Proteas prepare to do battle with Australia from tomorrow at Lord's Cricket Ground. Ngidi will steam in alongside Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen as the quicks, while Keshav Maharaj will provide support with his left-arm orthodox spin. 'I mean, probably one of the tougher decisions that have been made,' Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma said at the pre-match press conference on Tuesday about the decision to choose Ngidi ahead of Paterson. 'We've seen what Patto did for us toward the end of last season. But I think it was more from a tactical point of view, probably a little bit more pace from Lungi, comes from a taller angle. 'I think Lungs also has a good record, not taking away anything from Patto. He has the experience, he's played here before, not that Patto hasn't. But I think he will complement that bowling attack a little bit more.' The other big decision for the Proteas to make was who would bat at the crucial No 3 spot. They have opted for all-rounder Wiaan Mulder to come in after Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton, who will open the batting. Mulder also offers medium pace bowling as a fourth seamer option for Bavuma. 'We have a guy like Mulder as well who kind of gives you something similar to what Patto can do,' the captain said. The rest of the batting lineup is as expected with Bavuma saying he would come in at four followed by Tristan Stubbs and David Bedingham, with keeper Kyle Verreynne coming in at seven. Aussie XI The Australians also have an all-rounder at No 3 with Cameron Green slotted to come in at first-drop. Green, however, won't play a role with the ball as he continues to recover from a back injury. Marnus Labuschagne, whose position in the side has been under fire, will move one position up from his normal spot to accommodate Green and open the batting alongside Usman Khawaja. The rest of the lineup is filled with superstars, with Steve Smith and Travis Head holding up the middle order and all-rounder Beau Webster slated to come in at six. Alex Carey will keep wickets and bat at seven. Australia's bowlers are their reliable group, consisting of skipper Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood. 'There's a few unknowns,' Cummins said about what he expects from the Proteas at the pre-match press conference. 'We've probably played about half the guys before, but half the guys we haven't… which is exciting. Their bowlers we have seen a little bit of and are an obvious threat.' DM
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NRL news: Crushing blow for Sam Konstas as Marnus Labuschagne tipped to open in Test championship final
Sam Konstas' hopes of being recalled to the Australian Test XI for the World Test Championship (WTC) final next month appear to be dashed, with selectors reportedly set to promote Marnus Labuschagne to open alongside Usman Khawaja. The 19-year-old Konstas announced himself to the cricket world with a stunning half century on debut against India in the Boxing Day Test last year, where he took on the world's best bowler Jasprit Bumrah and helped turn the contest in Australia's favour. After playing a key role in Australia's 3-1 series win over India though, Konstas was dropped for the tour to Sri Lanka, with Travis Head promoted to open in his place. Selectors were keen for the 19-year-old to go back to the Sheffield Shield with NSW and get more experience batting on Aussie wickets ahead of the Ashes series against England at the end of the year. Pictured left to right, Marnus Labuschagne will reportedly be named to open in the WTC final for Australia, with selectors tipped to overlook Sam Konstas. Pic: Getty It was widely expected that Konstas would be recalled to the Aussie XI for next month's WTC final at Lord's, with Head reverting back to his regular spot at No.5. But things didn't go entirely to plan for Konstas in the Sheffield Shield, as the teenager copped criticism for his overly aggressive batting style and tendency to give away his wicket too cheaply. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Former Australia Test captains Ricky Ponting, Steve Waugh and Mark Taylor were among those to suggest Konstas needed to put the audacious shot-making away and focus on building an innings. And veteran NSW coach Greg Shipperd admitted that those were the types of conversations he'd been having with the teenage batting sensation. Concerns around Sam Konstas' unorthodox and ultra-aggressive batting approach could have cost him a place in Australia's Test XI for the WTC final. Pic: Getty Sam Konstas reportedly set to be overlooked for WTC final And it would appear national selectors have the same concerns around the 19-year-old opener, with The Sydney Morning Herald reporting that Labuschagne will be picked ahead of Konstas to open in the WTC final against South Africa next month. Those reports come as a surprise considering Labuschagne's underwhelming form over the last two years has led to calls for him to be dropped from the Aussie XI. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Labuschagne only averaged 25.36 with the bat across the summer after a largely disappointing series against India and then again in Sri Lanka. That came after an equally underwhelming previous year for Labuschagne, where he averaged just 27.08 across the summer of 2023/24. Labuschagne's return to Sheffield Shield with Queensland didn't fare much better as he registered scores of 23, 0 and 61 in his three innings and was powerless to help his side beat South Australia in the final. It's understood Labuschagne was a contender to take over at opener when David Warner retired from the Australian Test side, but the job ultimately went to Steve Smith, who's been in superb form since moving back to No.4. But with Labuschagne reportedly set to vacate his No.3 spot, it opens the door for Cameron Green to come back into the Test side after his long injury lay-off from back surgery. Cam Green expected to return to Aussie Test XI Selectors and Australia coach Andrew McDonald rate Green very highly and the 25-year-old demonstrated why with a superb debut century for his English county side Gloucestershire last month, before retiring with bad cramping. Green's return from his back injury means the all-rounder's workload will be carefully managed and he'll be used a bowler only, until at least the Ashes series, starting in November. Cameron Green is expected to return to Australia's Test XI for the WTC final against South Africa at Lord's. Pic: Getty That means fellow all-rounder Beau Webster - who made a brilliant half century on his county debut for Warwickshire over the weekend - looks set to retain his spot after impressing in the Test series wins over India and Sri Lanka. There does not appear to be a spot for middle-order batter Josh Inglis despite his fine form and sensational Test century on debut against Sri Lanka in January. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Inglis looks set to join Konstas as the unlucky Aussie batters to miss out on a spot in Australia's squad for the WTC final. Australia's well-established bowling contingent of quicks Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland, plus spinner Nathan Lyon are all set to feature in Australia's squad for next month's Lord's showpiece, along with squad player Michael Neser. Left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann is also likely to be named as injury cover for Lyon, with the SMH reporting that South Australian quick Brendan Doggett is looming as a bolter in the squad. Australia's likely 17-man squad for WTC final (2 to be ommitted) Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Brendan Doggett, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Steve Smith, Beau Webster
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sam Konstas ignores Ricky Ponting warning as ugly moment increases heat on cricket prodigy
Sam Konstas' ugly dismissal in the Sheffield Shield on Tuesday came after Ricky Ponting questioned whether the 19-year-old will have much of a future in Test cricket playing the way he does. Konstas made a whirlwind 10 in NSW's clash with Victoria before eventually being bowled by Scott Boland while attempting a slog-sweep. Just like we saw in the Boxing Day Test against Jasprit Bumrah, Konstas reverse-ramped Boland on just the second ball of the match. He then danced down the pitch and drove the next ball for four, but his innings only lasted seven balls before he had his stumps rearranged. His dismissal was particularly ugly, stepping across to the off-side and trying to whack Boland behind square. But he failed to connect and the ball cannoned into his leg stump. The dismissal raised eyebrows around the cricket world and renewed questions about the teenager's future in the Test team. Many believe Konstas will come back into the Aussie XI for the World Test Championship final against South Africa in June, but Ponting warned he won't have much of a future if he doesn't tone down his expansive ways. Speaking last month, Ponting said: 'I don't think he can survive as an opener if he continues to play like that. 'I have seen young players getting overawed before making their mark in international cricket. They need a few games or a couple of series to work out on what they need to be successful." Tuesday's innings was particularly head-scratching as it came with little pressure on and not much spotlight. The way he played against Bumrah and India was believed to be a ploy to throw the tourists off after their No.1 bowler had dominated the series. up until that point. Many thought Konstas would go back to a more conventional game in the aftermath, particularly in red-ball cricket. But the way he played on Tuesday caused major confusion. Former Test opener and ex-NSW coach Phil Jaques said in commentary: "He had a fair bit of success, batting pretty conventionally. I get it when there is a world-class bowler seaming it around, and we have one here (in Boland). But it hasn't really seamed an awful lot yet, and it doesn't look like it's going to. 'It was unexplainable really. I don't know what was going on. I think it (the reverse-ramp) is a shot he practices a lot and he plays it pretty well in short-form cricket. But you're seeing him play it all the time now and he's getting out doing it, and losing that consistency of run-scoring ... this kid makes hundreds and historically he hasn't made them by scooping and slogging. It's almost like he's been a bit caught up in it all.' Sam Konstas put himself on the radar of Australian selectors thanks to brilliant twin tons against South Australia. Played conventionally and showed great he attempted a ramp or reverse ramp in 3 of the 7 deliveries he faced on the 1st morning of a Shield… — CricBlog ✍ (@cric_blog) February 18, 2025 Looks like Sam Konstas got a good one today. #SheffieldShield — Lachlan McKirdy (@LMcKirdy7) February 18, 2025 Konstas doing a great job of batting himself out of contention for the WTC, West Indies tour & the Ashes. — Michael Spiteri (@mickspiteri) February 17, 2025 Sam Konstas first over of the day facing Scott Boland. 1: leading edge for 22: scoop over slips for 43: advance, slap through mid off for 44: missed scoop hit on pads5: missed flick down leg6: fwd defence All. Happening.#SheffieldShield @cricketcomau — Declan Byrne (@dec_byrne) February 17, 2025 RELATED: Matt Kuhnemann cops brutal new blow after spinner's action reported Cricket fans all say same thing about Sam Konstas after woeful scenes Speaking last month, Konstas' mentor Shane Watson also said he believes Konstas has a big future playing more conventionally. "He's going to have to tap into different aspects of his game, but he is technically very correct," the former Test opener said. "He can certainly just stand there and bat normally and wait for loose balls, but he's also got the other gears to be able to hit the ball down the ground. His blueprint will be a balance of all his shot options that he's got. It will certainly be putting the pressure on the bowler." Test great Adam Gilchrist said on Tuesday after Konstas' innings: "Time will tell whether it stands up, whether that's going to be happening at Lord's in a few months' time. It's a selection panel that's thrown the rule book out the window, they get their ideas and they go with them. I'm sure he'll still be in the frame." with agencies
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Marnus Labuschagne cops new blow as Cameron Green and Sam Konstas news confirmed
Marnus Labuschagne's battle to retain his Test spot could get even trickier amid fresh developments around Cameron Green and Sam Konstas, and an admission from coach Andrew McDonald that a selection 'squeeze' is imminent. Green looms as potentially the biggest threat to Labuschagne, with Konstas expected to return to the top of the order and Travis Head to move back to No.5 for June's World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa. Calls are growing louder for Labuschagne to be axed from the Aussie XI following a steady decline in form over the last couple of years. He's only averaged 25.36 with the bat after a largely disappointing series against India and then again in Sri Lanka. That came after an equally disappointing previous year for Labuschagne, where he averaged just 27.08 across the summer of 2023/24. Labuschagne did score the winning runs in Australia's second Test victory in Galle after finishing with 26 not out but it did little to mask his meagre totals of four in the first innings, to go with a 20 in the opening Test. The Queenslander was the only one of Australia's specialist batters who failed to cash in against Sri Lanka, and the 30-year-old looks worryingly down on confidence, which does not bode well for his prospects. Meanwhile, Green is on track in his recovery from a long-term back injury and is very much in the thoughts of Aussie selectors, ahead of the WTC final. And McDonald has confirmed reports from the UK that the all-rounder is set for a stint in English county cricket with second division side Gloucestershire. "Cameron Green, he's going to play some county cricket, I think it's been put to press that he's looking at Gloucestershire," the Australia coach said. Green had minor spinal surgery in October but has been back up and running for a month and resumed bowling in the nets around two weeks ago. It's likely he'll return as a specialist batter only, with Green likely to be eased back into bowling duties. It's understood Western Australia coach Adam Voges has kept the door open for Green to return to the Sheffield Shield, before his county stint in the UK. If all goes well, the 25-year-old could certainly emerge as a potential candidate to replace Labuschagne. McDonald says he's also keen to see Konstas get some experience in English county cricket after the 19-year-old was surprisingly sent home from the Sri Lanka tour without featuring. Aussie officials wanted Konstas to return to the Sheffield Shield with NSW and get experience batting on wickets - such as the Gabba - which he has never previously played on - with one eye on the Ashes later in the year. RELATED: Nathan Lyon in classy post-match act amid fresh Steve Smith drama Konstas call backfires as Webster exposes Connolly selection mistake Steve Smith breaks Ricky Ponting record amid 'horrid' Test scenes "I'd love to see him play county cricket," Australia's coach said about Konstas after the Sri Lanka series. "What involvement we have in that is very minimal … the only thing we can do is endorse that he's a very good player, and hopefully a county picks him up. "It will be a great learning curve if he could get into those conditions. Every game seems to be an opportunity to learn, he's so raw and young, and that was (behind) the decision to send him home to Brisbane. He hadn't played at the Gabba, we've got a Test match coming up in Australia at the Gabba so there's a little bit of connection there." Josh Inglis is another batter putting pressure on Labuschagne after justifying his maiden Test selection with a stunning century on debut in the first Test against Sri Lanka. McDonald said selectors believe Inglis "can (play) across all conditions" and suggested when all candidates are fit and available that there would be some unlucky players to miss out. "I think that's legitimate there will be a squeeze," McDonald said. Green is highly regarded within the Australian setup and has been tipped to enjoy a long future in Test cricket but whether he comes straight back into the Aussie XI remains to be seen. While Inglis has proven that he belongs on the big stage and will surely come into calculations for the WTC final, as Labuschagne battles to hold onto his spot.
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Smith makes call on axing Marnus as Test future thrown into fresh doubt
Steve Smith has likened Marnus Labuschagne's poor form with the bat to his own previous struggles after again throwing his support behind the under-fire batter. Calls are growing louder for Labuschagne to be axed from the Aussie XI ahead of June's World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa, following a steady decline in form over the last couple of years. Labuschagne only averaged 27.08 with the bat the previous summer and that figure has dropped to 25.36 after a largely disappointing series against India and then again in Sri Lanka. Labuschagne did score the winning runs in Australia's second Test victory in Galle after finishing with 26 not out but it did little to mask his meagre totals of four in the first innings, to go with a 20 in the opening Test. The Queenslander was the only one of Australia's specialist batters who failed to cash in against Sri Lanka, and the 30-year-old looks worryingly down on confidence. It's hardly the ideal situation for the Aussies heading towards the WTC final at Lord's in June, with SEN Cricket expert Bharat Sundaresan among those to question his future in the Test side. 'For the first time ever, it does look like his place could be under threat,' Sundaresan said on SEN ahead of day four in Sri Lanka. 'When he got out yesterday (in the first innings), just the way he reviewed it and his body language as he looked up at the screen and the way he walked away, there was a sense of resignation as if to say 'what more can I do'. Unfortunately for Marnus, yes his contributions were vital again during the Border-Gavaskar trophy, the two 70s in Melbourne and the 64 in Adelaide. "But this decline in his average which is in steep decline, it's coincided with a lot of others vying for that spot, who are not playing shield cricket, who are within that dressing room who are performing. The squeeze is on. The squeeze is on and Cameron Green is coming back.' Marnus Labuschagne Test careerFirst 30 Tests - 3041 Runs, 60.82 AvgNext 27 Tests - 1329 Runs, 30.20 Avg — Vijay Anaparthi (@VijayCricketFan) February 7, 2025 One of those players within the Aussie squad who's putting pressure on Labuschagne is Josh Inglis, who justified his Test call-up in Sri Lanka with a maiden international red-ball century in the first match against. And it will be curious to see what approach the Aussie selectors take with Green when the gun all-rounder returns from a long-term back injury. Green is highly regarded within the Australian setup and has been tipped to enjoy a long future in Test cricket but whether he comes straight back into the Aussie XI remains to be seen. While Inglis has proven that he belongs on the big stage and will surely come into calculations for the WTC final, as Labuschagne battles to hold onto his spot. But Smith continues to insist that a big score is just around the corner for Labuschagne, as he did before the second Test got underway. And the stand-in skipper - who's in a purple patch after hitting two tons against Sri Lanka to make it four centuries in five Tests - says he sees a lot of similarities between Labuschagne and himself. RELATED: Nathan Lyon in classy post-match act amid fresh Steve Smith drama Konstas call backfires as Webster exposes Connolly selection mistake Steve Smith breaks Ricky Ponting record amid 'horrid' Test scenes Smith hadn't hit a Test ton for 18 months before his drought-breaking innings against India at the Gabba, and now he can't stop scoring centuries. And the stand-in skipper says he's seen enough evidence from Labuschagne's batting to convince him that a big score is around the corner and the calls to axe him are premature. 'I think Marn is similar to me in a way, I think he's actually batting quite nicely,' Smith said. 'I have said this a lot of times about myself, there's a difference between being out of form and out of runs. We've seen Marnus do it, we know he can do it, I don't think he's out of form, personally. 'I have watched him train, I have watched him play, a lot of the things he's done are there. A little bit of luck here and there and things can turn around pretty quickly, we know what he's capable of. He knows he'd love to score more runs, we'd love him to score more runs, in my opinion it's just around the corner.' That's two summers of evidence suggesting Australia has a Marnus does he hold his place for the WTC final? Or did his replacement just announce himself in Sri Lanka?TALKING POINTS >> — Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) February 9, 2025 Marnus should be dropped mid-match. Send him home already. — ᴅᴀʟᴇ (@DaleKerr) February 7, 2025 Marnus fails again. Given this test is a dead rubber perhaps he should've been sent home instead of Konstas to get some confidence at state level ? — Harry MacDougall (@HarryMacDougall) February 7, 2025 Marnus Labuschagne on now and he looks like he has no soon from the team methinks and a break maybe good for him — scalded cat (@moccaobe) February 9, 2025 The question should be who do you replace him with? Marnus form has been poor and I think he needs to be dropped but who is putting their hands up to replace him. — Bevan (@BevanMoore14) February 7, 2025 with agencies
