'It's a duck-off!': Test hopefuls flop in disastrous audition after ...

Sam Konstas and Cameron Bancroft failed to press their case for Test selection after registering ducks during the frantic opening day of Australia A’s match against India A in Mackay.

In what’s been dubbed a ‘bat-off’ for the vacant spot in Australia’s Test side ahead of the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy, national selectors have been left with more questions than answers as 14 wickets fell on day one at Great Barrier Reef Arena.

Teenage prodigy Konstas fended at a length delivery from Indian seamer Mukesh Kumar and nicked off for a third-ball duck before Bancroft, having survived an early appeal for caught behind, strangled a loose delivery from quick Prasidh Krishna down the leg side. However, replays suggested the ball flicked Bancroft’s thigh guard rather than his glove, with the West Australian throwing his head back in disbelief before trudging off.

MATCH CENTRE: Australia A vs India A scorecard

Australia A opener Marcus Harris, also pushing for a long-awaited Test recall, scratched his way towards 17 before flashing at a wide delivery from Krishna and edging towards the slips cordon.

Meanwhile, India A shot itself in the foot with some sloppy fielding, dropping chances in the slips cordon with Harris on 9 and Cooper Connolly on 5.

The hosts were 4-99 at stumps on day one, still trailing by eight, with captain Nathan McSweeney (29*) and Connolly (14*) unbeaten overnight.

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India A celebrate the wicket of Sam Konstas. Photo by Albert Perez/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

Earlier on Thursday, pace bowler Brendan Doggett claimed career-best figures of 6-15 to help roll India A for 107 after Australia A won the toss and chose to bowl first.

The tourists lost 7-36 in a disastrous collapse as Doggett ripped through the middle order, with South Australian teammate Jordan Buckingham removing both of India A’s openers in the morning session.

Australia’s A match against India A will resume on Friday at 11am AEDT.

BAT-OFF DESCENDS INTO DUCK-OFF

George Bailey must be ripping his hair out.

When a vacancy opened up in Australia’s Test side earlier this month, there were four leading candidates in the race for a national call-up ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

However, since it was confirmed that Cameron Green had been ruled out of the summer, none of the quartet have registered a fifty in 11 knocks, collectively averaging 12.45 in red-ball cricket during that period.

Three openers were shoehorned into the Australia A starting XI for this week’s contest against India A in Mackay, but the trio yet again failed to silence their doubters on Thursday afternoon.

West Australian opener Cameron Bancroft, the most prolific batter in the Sheffield Shield over the past 24 months, was arguably the favourite to replace Cameron Green in the Test side a few weeks ago. However, the right-hander has since registered scores of 0, 0, 8, 2 and 0 at first-class level, ruining his chances of a Test recall.

The 31-year-old survived an early appeal for caught behind before strangling a delivery down the leg side, dismissed by Indian quick Prasidh Krishna for a 14-ball duck. However, replays suggested the ball had flicked thigh guard rather than glove.

Earlier, New South Wales batting prodigy Sam Konstas returned to the sheds for a third-ball duck after fending at a length delivery from Mukesh Kumar and nicking behind. The 19-year-old dominated the back page earlier this month after cracking twin hundreds against South Australia in a Sheffield Shield contest at Cricket Central, but he has since posted scores of 2, 42 and 0.

Then there’s Victorian opener Marcus Harris, who survived the first 11 overs of Australia A’s innings before recklessly flashing at a wide delivery from Krishna and edging towards second slip for 17. A few overs earlier, he was dropped at third slip for 8, failing to make the most of the fortuitous reprieve.

The 32-year-old got his Sheffield Shield campaign underway with a century against Tasmania at Junction Oval, but he has since notched 26, 16 and 17.

Sam Konstas of Australia A leaves the field. Photo by Albert Perez/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

At the moment, none of the trio looks capable of taking on Jasprit Bumrah this summer, opening the door for South Australia’s Nathan McSweeney. The Australia A captain, unbeaten on 29 overnight, has been one of the most consistent batters in the Sheffield Shield this summer, registering 291 runs at 97.00.

And he certainly looked the part on Thursday, soaking up 110 deliveries to ensure Australia A was in the preferred position at stumps.

However, McSweeney has never opened at first-class level, typically batting at No. 3 or No. 4 for South Australia in the Sheffield Shield.

“He reads the game really well, he understands his game really well, he’s just got a lot of really good positives that you need and ingredients that you need to play at that level,” South Australian coach Ryan Harris said on Thursday.

“His technique has got better and better over the last two or three if not four years, so I definitely think he can handle it.”

National selectors have indicated they won’t make any decisions on the Test squad until both of Australia A’s matches against India A are complete, but the identity of Green’s replacement is currently a mystery.

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SUBSTITUTE QUICK STUNS INDIANS

Brendon Doggett wasn’t even meant to play this match.

The South Australian quick didn’t feature in the provisional Australia A squad, but twin injury blows for Liam Hatcher and Mark Steketee opened the door for his inclusion at the eleventh hour.

Despite getting just 72 hours notice, Doggett produced a career-best performance on day one at Great Barrier Reef Arena, ripping through India A’s middle order in a damaging spell of 6-15 from 11 overs.

The 30-year-old, who received a Test call-up in 2018, was at the peak of his powers on the bouncy Mackay deck, finding the outside edge of Sai Sudharsan’s bat before removing the dangerous Ishan Kishan.

Doggett remains a fair way down the pecking order among Australia’s bowling stocks, but Thursday’s burst performance didn’t harm his chances of a national recall.

“It was a bit unexpected,” Doggett said at stumps.

“I got injured in the first round of Sheild cricket, so I’ve onto bowled twice up until this game.

“I came in with an attitude of there’s nothing to lose. I wasn’t meant to be here anywhere, there were a few injuries, a few players fell down before me.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity.”

Brendan Doggett of Australia A. Photo by Albert Perez/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

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