- The 20-year-old has had a troublesome yr
Aussie cricketer Sam Konstas was the speak of the city when he made his debut within the 2024 Boxing Day Take a look at, however lower than a yr later he has gone from hero to villain as a surprising efficiency noticed him slammed on social media.
After a nightmare tour of the West Indies the place he averaged simply 8.33 with the bat, Konstas was missed for choice in Australia’s Ashes squad final month.
He is since been participating in state cricket video games for NSW – and Konstas has now been ridiculed after followers noticed him bowling within the Prime Minister’s XI match towards England on Sunday.
Konstas set viewers off with an terrible waist-height full toss which was smashed to the boundary, and it did not take lengthy earlier than the pile-on began on-line.
‘Have to be plenty of onerous working cricketers lacking out so this man can get a run? Why?’ one fan wrote.
‘Defo not making ashes bowling like that,’ one other commented.
Sam Konstas (pictured) bought to bowl for the Prime Minister’s XI on Sunday – and it did not take lengthy for followers to take the mickey out of him
Konstas bowled only one over (pictured)
The 20-year-old (pictured with TV presenter Grace Hayden) has been beneath immense stress since first arriving on Aussie selectors’ radar final yr
‘Good to see the sport being taken significantly lol’, one other added.
One other commenter mentioned they mistook Konstas for former prime minister John Howard, whose terrible try at bowling grew to become a part of Aussie sporting folklore when it was captured on video in 2005.
Different feedback included ‘nice commonplace of cricket’ and ‘Is he making an attempt to bowl now as a result of he cannot bat for s**t’.
Nonetheless, different followers rushed to the opener’s defence, accusing Cricket Australia of not giving him sufficient time to enhance his recreation earlier than dashing him into the highlight.
‘Cricket Australia is giving this child the total Renshaw/Handscomb/Bancroft therapy. Is crushing the soul of promising younger youngsters simply one thing we have to do each few years?’ one requested.
Konstas made his Worldwide cricket debut on the grandest stage final yr when Australia took on India within the Boxing Day Take a look at match.
He impressed right away, with a speedy 62 runs in his first dig, enjoying with a fearless mindset to assault India’s No.1 strike bowler Jasprit Bumrah.
However the opener quickly discovered himself in a troublesome spot as he fell out of favour with selectors whereas struggling for type.
The 20-year-old Sydneysider has scored simply 223 runs from 10 innings at Sheffield Protect stage this yr, with just one rating of fifty or extra.
The Aussie batter’s debut innings within the Boxing Day Take a look at towards India (pictured) might be remembered for years to come back
Konstas (pictured left celebrating with Australia captain Pat Cummins) regarded like a star of the longer term as Australia gained the Border Gavaskar Trophy final summer time
The opener had a disastrous tour of the West Indies (pictured) and has been out of the Take a look at group ever since
He now has plenty of work to do in an effort to get again within the body for Aussie choice.
Konstas’ bowling efficiency got here as England misplaced simply two wickets and chased down Australia’s 309-run goal.
England’s openers each hit half-centuries towards the pink ball, as did No.4 James Rew and No.5 Asa Tribe.
Nonetheless, Jacob Bethell missed an opportunity to push for a spot in England’s Take a look at prime order after the vacationers’ surprising failure within the second innings in Perth.
He solely managed to make 16 runs earlier than being dismissed.
