Sheffield Shield: Australia's Sam Konstas slams his 5th FC fifty
What's the story
In a gripping Sheffield Shield match at the WACA Ground, New South Wales (NSW) and Western Australia (WA) fought to a draw.
WA declared at 346/4, led by Hilton Cartwright's unbeaten 171. Meanwhile, needing 282 from 57 overs, NSW managed 130/4 in 55 overs.
Sam Konstas played a crucial role in defending against WA's unlikely push for victory, contributing significantly to the draw.
Here are further details.
Player highlight
Konstas's steady performance under pressure
Konstas was a steadying presence for NSW, scoring 50 off 107 balls. His knock included five boundaries too.
His performance was crucial in the face of WA's unlikely push for victory.
Despite the pressure, he remained focused and determined to defend his team's position in the match.
This resilience played a significant role in securing the draw for NSW.
Notably, Konstas shared a 50-run stand alongside Kurtis Patterson for the 2nd wicket before adding another 36 runs with Matthew Gilkes.
Numbers
Konstas races 939 First-Class runs
With his fighting knock of 50, the batter has now raced to 939 First-Class cricket runs.
Across 16 matches he averages 34.77 and boasts a high score of 152. According to ESPNcricinfo, he also owns two hundreds and five half-centuries in 28 innings.
Additionally, 113 of his FC runs have come for Australia in Tests. The 19-year-old also owns a fifty in Test cricket, which he smashed against India on his debut in 2024.
Game strategy
WA's cautious approach in 2nd innings
WA resumed their second innings at 209/2, leading by 144 runs, with Hilton Cartwright and Cameron Bancroft adopting a cautious approach against the new ball.
Meanwhile, Bancroft's marathon 276-ball stay ended at 86 when he edged Jack Edwards to first slip.
Even after Bancroft's dismissal, WA stuck to their plan as batter Sam Fanning struggled with his timing initially but found his rhythm after lunch.
Summary
Match summary
Western Australia were folded for 196 runs in the first innings. Jackson Bird was the pick of the bowlers for NSW, claiming 3/22 from 16 overs.
Ashton Turner and Joel Curtis slammed 42-run knocks for WA.
In response, NSW managed 261. Kurtis Patterson slammed a gritty 86 from 262 balls.
Meanwhile, Lance Morris took a fifer for NSW.
WA scored 346/4d next. Bancroft, Cartwright and Fanning were solid.
NSW drew the contest thereafter with Konstas shining.