13 h. ago Australia’s selectors took a punt on Sam Konstas as Test opener – and he is left with the debt | Geoff Lemon

There was no firm basis to pick the teenager to begin with, but having done so, his only chance of success was to be backed as though there wasSam Konstas had given up. After his duck in Grenada, he looked devastated. After his duck in Jamaica, resigned. On body language, here was a player expecting to make nothing and expecting to be dropped. After his second shot at batting in the third Test proved futile, his second stint of fielding was one of absence: late to move, throwing one hand at the first dropped catch, snatching at the second, misfielding the run that let West Indies escape the lowest Test score. On the tour that might have been his making, nothing had gone right.You had to feel sorry for him, still 19 years old in a team of ancient dads. He had walked into his Test career full of bravura and left it five matches later with an average of 16. In nine innings since his 60 on debut he has averaged 11. The cockiness must have curdled to embarrassment. This is not to pile on...

Politics

62 h. ago Brutal Mitchell Starc spell one to remember amid Australia batters’ tour to forget | Geoff Lemon

The left-arm fast bowler claimed a record-breaking six-wicket haul in the third Test against the West Indies to celebrate his milestone match in styleModern sport reporting casually reaches for words like “brutality” and “carnage” where their usage even as metaphor is overblown. The end of the third Test in Kingston, though, warranted both. Australia’s fast bowlers destroyed West Indies for 27, a single run higher than the lowest innings score in Test history.The batting lasted 14.3 overs, the third-shortest innings on record. Mitchell Starc, curling the pink Dukes ball, took 6 for 9. Scott Boland’s 3 for 2 came in the form of a hat-trick. It was a sporting annihilation, the lowest West Indies total ever by 20 runs, worse than any time during the struggles of their earliest years or their recent decades. Australia swept the series 3-0. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Teenage opener Sam Konstas backed by Australia skipper Pat Cummins despite West Indies struggles

The 19-year-old has endured a tricky tour of the Caribbean so far but retains his captain’s backing

Events

1 week ago India beat England by 336 runs in second men’s cricket Test, day five – live reaction

Akash Deep takes six second-innings wicketsSign up for The Spin newsletter | Email TahaNothing is happening so I’m going to grab a coffee. In the meantime, here’s Geoff Lemon with the latest from Australia’s tour of the Caribbean.The rain has eased so the groundstaff are getting to work. It’s still spitting and there’s been no discussion of a potential start time. Could be at least an hour – the outfield looks sodden. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Scrutiny of Sam Konstas ramps up as West Indies keep second Test alive | Geoff Lemon

Australia’s top order has more question marks than the Riddler’s pants after Konstas and Usman Khawaja again failed to deliverAs so often in Test cricket, drama saved itself for the dying overs of the day. With 90 remaining minutes ticking down towards 60 on the second day of the second Test in Grenada, tactically minded onlookers started to think about West Indies’ last-wicket partnership. Anderson Phillip and Jayden Seales were defending with heart, on their way to facing 65 balls and adding 16 runs. With Australia having made 286 the previous day, their stand took West Indies from 49 runs behind to 33. But each over that they chose to keep batting rather than swing for runs, they reduced the time available to bowl at an Australian top order under pressure.In the end, there were 30 minutes left when Australia began the third innings. And in the end, that was enough to account for both openers, raising the tension another notch with only two more opportunities for them to bat in a ...

Events

2 w. ago Beau Webster’s dependability should give heart to Australia’s Test hopefuls new and old

Sam Konstas has been backed to open again and can look to Webster’s example of composure and calm at the creaseAustralia’s bowlers rescued the first Test against West Indies in Barbados, so the team will be relieved to welcome back blue-chip batter Steve Smith for the second Test in Grenada. In London a fortnight ago, a fielding mishap looked like it had caused Smith’s finger a horrific break, but instead the injury was a dislocation, and it has settled well enough for him to come safely through a net session in New York City. Smith will rejoin the team in Barbados on Sunday, with a final fitness check the day before the next fixture starting on 3 July.Australian coach Andrew McDonald confirmed that Smith will slot straight back in at his preferred No 4 spot when available, which will mean that Josh Inglis has to make way after filling in and returning a rare failure with the bat in Australian colours. There are no other spots available, after McDonald backed Sam Konstas to open and...

Politics

2 w. ago Kate Garraway says it's 'tough to balance the budget' amid £800k debts

Kate Garraway has said it's 'tough to balance the budget' after previously admitting she's been left with up to £800K in debt following the death of her husband, Derek Draper.

Economics