February 7, 2025 • 8 mins
Exciting young batsman Sam Konstas has been sent home from the Australian test tour to Sri Lanka.
His absence has raised a few eyebrows over the ditch, and Aussie Correspondent Adam Peacock joined Piney to try make sense of the call.
“It was a tough call, tough selection call,” he told Piney.
“But given the way that we’ve batted on this tour so far, it’s hard to say the selectors have got it wrong.”
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks B.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Let's get you across the Tasman Arustratian correspondent Adam Peacock
standing by. You've got your golfer, nice and early. You're
all unencumbered. You can chat to us.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
All done, Piney, All done. It was a warm day here,
very very warm. Yeah, glad to be out of the
afternoon sun.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
All right, well, thanks for taking our call. A couple
of issues to unpack. Let's start with Test cricket. Australia
are currently in Sri Lanka where they're doing the business
against a pretty portal ink inside by the looks of it.
But Sam Constance, I'm interested in how this played out.
We know he had a couple of whirlwind tests against
India earlier in the summer, selected in the squad for
(00:48):
the tour of Sri Lanka, but didn't make the side
for the first Test, and now he's come back home,
has he?
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Yeah, so I think it was a matchup thing. They
thought Travis Head is better to open over there, and
they couldn't really drop Kowaja because he's good against spin.
And it was solidified by the two hundred and thirty
odd he made in the first game, so I can
see why they took him. But you know, talking to
(01:16):
a few people behind the scenes, they say, well, this
is actually a really good tour to go on even
if he doesn't play, just to see what the standard's
like on tour, no pressure on him to perform. And
then once it was realized he wasn't going to play
in that second Test, come back home because you need
red ball cricket and to sit there and troll anker
on his ass and not play as opposed to coming
back and playing a high pressure shield game is much
(01:39):
better for his development and with a view to the
World Test Championship in the middle of the year, and
he'll probably playing the West Indies in the three three
Test tour that we've got in the middle of the
year as well. So yeah, it was a tough call,
tough selection calls, but given the way that we've batted
on this tour so far, it's hard to say that
the selectors have got it wrong.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Yeah. Indeed, well I went by one an things in
two hundred and forty two runs in the first Test
in Gaul six fifty four for six to clear it's
a pretty decent first innings. And here we are on
the second Test also in Gaul, three point thirty for three,
with both Kerry and Smith unbeaten on three figures overnight
against Shrilanks two fifty seven. It's very one side at
(02:17):
this one, Adam, isn't it?
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Yeah? Surprisingly so. I actually think this wicket that apparently
they were going to trick up, it looks pretty benign
in terms of how you can bat on it. And
Smith is in such good form at the moment. He's
now joined Alan Border and Steve Warr as the only
big run scorer is in Australian Test cricket history for
the men to have as many away Test hundreds as
(02:42):
home Test hundreds. Alan Border actually had more away than home.
That's how good he was, especially in an a dormant
era for Australian cricket. But Steve Smith is just wherever
he is and if he's in any kind of form,
he's going to score runs. And he's done it again.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Let's go to Sam Kerr. Now you know what a
wonderful player she's been for Australia off the field. She's
so on the field, she's been off the field for
a bit with an injury, but she's also in the
week past been in court. She is on trial for
causing racially aggravated harassment to a policeman during an incident
in London in January of twenty twenty three. Can you
(03:18):
give us the broad brush strokes of this and what
the likely outcome is.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Yeah, so it's all in front of a magistrate still,
so that we're waiting the outcome. But there's bodycam footage
been released, so they've been in court herself, her partner,
the police officer in question, and other people surrounding the
whole incident in question. Look, there's a debate over here,
(03:42):
mainly surrounding sam Ker whether or not she has leadership
status going forward for the Matilda's I don't think there's
anyone who says that she should never play frustrator again,
and that's just frankly draconian. But everyone's awaiting that the
judgment and the full facts to come out in the
Court of Lord to make its judgment. But yeah, there's
a fair old debate saying, well, is this really captaincy
behavior if she is found guilty of it until that
(04:06):
point and we find out if it's guilty or not guilty,
we'll wait and see. But yet it's not an appetizing
look and might go to explain why Sam over the
past two years, maybe she's been in a stress state
of mind and that's why she's had injury after injury.
She's just not been able to get on the park.
She has that calf injury at the World Cup, barely
(04:27):
able to play, scores a wonder goal in the semi final,
but then blows out a knee and she's been missing
for over thirteen fourteen months now, so it's all really
unfortunate for everyone involved. But yeah, just have to wait
for the courts to make their judgment.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Really, what about the court of public opinion does it?
I mean, she's a darling of Australian sports, most public
opinion on her side.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Yeah, it's really split actually, people who you know, it's
down those lines of if you support the growth of
the Matilda's and also admire of someone like Sam Kerr.
It's like, well, yeah, she felt she was pushed in
that position and you know, felt scared almost when she
(05:11):
was in the police station. Where you've got people on
the other side saying well, no, she hasn't behaved to
the standard of what you would expect of a captain
of any sporting team in this country. She should be
held to account. So yeah, people have charged off in
every direction and making their judgment based on what they've
seen and some evidence presented this week without probably knowing
(05:33):
the full facts of everything that's gone on in that
incident and awaiting that judgment as well, which I'm of
that Ladder opinion that just all chill out and wait
for everything to come out and then maybe make the judgment.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Indeed, another Australian having a challenging time in London and
z Ansposta Coglo of course, boss of Tottenham Hotspur, who
find themselves fourteenth in the Premier League. Thanks for starting
to pick up. They had a win in the Europa
League and then a Premier League victory over Brientthord, but
a four nil loss to Liverpool in the Second League
of their League Cup semi final in the line last
(06:06):
couple of days. You know, I don't know what you
can believe as far as what you're here coming out
of the UK media. But would An's Postakoglu be in
danger of losing his job?
Speaker 3 (06:19):
Yeah? Probably Given the track record of Daniel Levy, the
guy who runs Tottenham Hotsburg. He's probably I wouldn't say
his head's on the chopping blot, but it's a consideraction
at the moment. But Spurs have had this problem. They're
just stuck in this whirlpool, whirlpool of mediocrity, so they
can't get out. And it looked like as was the
(06:39):
one to push pull him out and they had a
good season last season and looking forward to build for
this season. I think we've mentioned it before, Pinney, you
just can't get his best team on the park. And
whether or not that's because of the style of playing,
the training load that he's given his team, I can
only guess it is. So is there a major adjustment
going to take place there? Otherwise the ultimate adjustment comes
(07:00):
and and loses his job. So yeah, it's very much
a job in question here. Everyone's hoping that he does
keep the job because it's good for Australian football to
have someone like him in a role like that. It
kind of helps our reputation. So we'll wait and see.
He's just got to get through this period and see
how the Europa League turns out. I think you'll be
given a bit more time. I don't think they'll sack
(07:22):
him in the next couple of weeks. I never really
know with Daniel Levy, but I think until the end
of the season is probably the most sensible kind of
way of looking at it at the moment. But it's
English football, and sometimes sensibilities play out the window, don't they.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
They certainly they suddenly Derby tonight too, and the A
League suddenly the FC Western Sidney wonders. I'm not sure
this has reached the heights that it has previously in
terms of the rapid support that used to be around.
You're not hitting along tonight to Aliens.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
I am, actually I'm going to get along and have
a look. I've got the free date in the calendar
after all the tennis and things, so yeah, I'm actually
looking forward to it. I think it'll be a good game.
These two sides. I don't think they have the capacity
to play disciplined football and shut out the opposition, which
means that anything can happen. I think there's players on
both sides, and yeah, I hopefully we will get a
(08:10):
crowd of over thirty because anything over thirty thousand a
early outstadium, it's a fantastic atmosphere, so yeah, it should
be a good night at football for over here. And
yeah it's it's chucking along the A League without any
spectacular kind of cut through if you like, nothing like
we've seen in Auckland this season. But it's kind of
okay and developing players, so that's the nineteen good stuff.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Gradur channels always, Adam, enjoy the rest of your weekend
and we'll catch up again next Saturday.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
Thank you too, Thanks Binning a.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Good one mate. Adam Peacock our Australian corresponding there atis Sydney.
He joins us around this time every Saturday afternoon.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine. Listen live
to News Talk zed B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks B.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Let's get you across the Tasman Arustratian correspondent Adam Peacock
standing by. You've got your golfer, nice and early. You're
all unencumbered. You can chat to us.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
All done, Piney, All done. It was a warm day here,
very very warm. Yeah, glad to be out of the
afternoon sun.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
All right, well, thanks for taking our call. A couple
of issues to unpack. Let's start with Test cricket. Australia
are currently in Sri Lanka where they're doing the business
against a pretty portal ink inside by the looks of it.
But Sam Constance, I'm interested in how this played out.
We know he had a couple of whirlwind tests against
India earlier in the summer, selected in the squad for
(00:48):
the tour of Sri Lanka, but didn't make the side
for the first Test, and now he's come back home,
has he?
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Yeah, so I think it was a matchup thing. They
thought Travis Head is better to open over there, and
they couldn't really drop Kowaja because he's good against spin.
And it was solidified by the two hundred and thirty
odd he made in the first game, so I can
see why they took him. But you know, talking to
(01:16):
a few people behind the scenes, they say, well, this
is actually a really good tour to go on even
if he doesn't play, just to see what the standard's
like on tour, no pressure on him to perform. And
then once it was realized he wasn't going to play
in that second Test, come back home because you need
red ball cricket and to sit there and troll anker
on his ass and not play as opposed to coming
back and playing a high pressure shield game is much
(01:39):
better for his development and with a view to the
World Test Championship in the middle of the year, and
he'll probably playing the West Indies in the three three
Test tour that we've got in the middle of the
year as well. So yeah, it was a tough call,
tough selection calls, but given the way that we've batted
on this tour so far, it's hard to say that
the selectors have got it wrong.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Yeah. Indeed, well I went by one an things in
two hundred and forty two runs in the first Test
in Gaul six fifty four for six to clear it's
a pretty decent first innings. And here we are on
the second Test also in Gaul, three point thirty for three,
with both Kerry and Smith unbeaten on three figures overnight
against Shrilanks two fifty seven. It's very one side at
(02:17):
this one, Adam, isn't it?
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Yeah? Surprisingly so. I actually think this wicket that apparently
they were going to trick up, it looks pretty benign
in terms of how you can bat on it. And
Smith is in such good form at the moment. He's
now joined Alan Border and Steve Warr as the only
big run scorer is in Australian Test cricket history for
the men to have as many away Test hundreds as
(02:42):
home Test hundreds. Alan Border actually had more away than home.
That's how good he was, especially in an a dormant
era for Australian cricket. But Steve Smith is just wherever
he is and if he's in any kind of form,
he's going to score runs. And he's done it again.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Let's go to Sam Kerr. Now you know what a
wonderful player she's been for Australia off the field. She's
so on the field, she's been off the field for
a bit with an injury, but she's also in the
week past been in court. She is on trial for
causing racially aggravated harassment to a policeman during an incident
in London in January of twenty twenty three. Can you
(03:18):
give us the broad brush strokes of this and what
the likely outcome is.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Yeah, so it's all in front of a magistrate still,
so that we're waiting the outcome. But there's bodycam footage
been released, so they've been in court herself, her partner,
the police officer in question, and other people surrounding the
whole incident in question. Look, there's a debate over here,
(03:42):
mainly surrounding sam Ker whether or not she has leadership
status going forward for the Matilda's I don't think there's
anyone who says that she should never play frustrator again,
and that's just frankly draconian. But everyone's awaiting that the
judgment and the full facts to come out in the
Court of Lord to make its judgment. But yeah, there's
a fair old debate saying, well, is this really captaincy
behavior if she is found guilty of it until that
(04:06):
point and we find out if it's guilty or not guilty,
we'll wait and see. But yet it's not an appetizing
look and might go to explain why Sam over the
past two years, maybe she's been in a stress state
of mind and that's why she's had injury after injury.
She's just not been able to get on the park.
She has that calf injury at the World Cup, barely
(04:27):
able to play, scores a wonder goal in the semi final,
but then blows out a knee and she's been missing
for over thirteen fourteen months now, so it's all really
unfortunate for everyone involved. But yeah, just have to wait
for the courts to make their judgment.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Really, what about the court of public opinion does it?
I mean, she's a darling of Australian sports, most public
opinion on her side.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Yeah, it's really split actually, people who you know, it's
down those lines of if you support the growth of
the Matilda's and also admire of someone like Sam Kerr.
It's like, well, yeah, she felt she was pushed in
that position and you know, felt scared almost when she
(05:11):
was in the police station. Where you've got people on
the other side saying well, no, she hasn't behaved to
the standard of what you would expect of a captain
of any sporting team in this country. She should be
held to account. So yeah, people have charged off in
every direction and making their judgment based on what they've
seen and some evidence presented this week without probably knowing
(05:33):
the full facts of everything that's gone on in that
incident and awaiting that judgment as well, which I'm of
that Ladder opinion that just all chill out and wait
for everything to come out and then maybe make the judgment.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Indeed, another Australian having a challenging time in London and
z Ansposta Coglo of course, boss of Tottenham Hotspur, who
find themselves fourteenth in the Premier League. Thanks for starting
to pick up. They had a win in the Europa
League and then a Premier League victory over Brientthord, but
a four nil loss to Liverpool in the Second League
of their League Cup semi final in the line last
(06:06):
couple of days. You know, I don't know what you
can believe as far as what you're here coming out
of the UK media. But would An's Postakoglu be in
danger of losing his job?
Speaker 3 (06:19):
Yeah? Probably Given the track record of Daniel Levy, the
guy who runs Tottenham Hotsburg. He's probably I wouldn't say
his head's on the chopping blot, but it's a consideraction
at the moment. But Spurs have had this problem. They're
just stuck in this whirlpool, whirlpool of mediocrity, so they
can't get out. And it looked like as was the
(06:39):
one to push pull him out and they had a
good season last season and looking forward to build for
this season. I think we've mentioned it before, Pinney, you
just can't get his best team on the park. And
whether or not that's because of the style of playing,
the training load that he's given his team, I can
only guess it is. So is there a major adjustment
going to take place there? Otherwise the ultimate adjustment comes
(07:00):
and and loses his job. So yeah, it's very much
a job in question here. Everyone's hoping that he does
keep the job because it's good for Australian football to
have someone like him in a role like that. It
kind of helps our reputation. So we'll wait and see.
He's just got to get through this period and see
how the Europa League turns out. I think you'll be
given a bit more time. I don't think they'll sack
(07:22):
him in the next couple of weeks. I never really
know with Daniel Levy, but I think until the end
of the season is probably the most sensible kind of
way of looking at it at the moment. But it's
English football, and sometimes sensibilities play out the window, don't they.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
They certainly they suddenly Derby tonight too, and the A
League suddenly the FC Western Sidney wonders. I'm not sure
this has reached the heights that it has previously in
terms of the rapid support that used to be around.
You're not hitting along tonight to Aliens.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
I am, actually I'm going to get along and have
a look. I've got the free date in the calendar
after all the tennis and things, so yeah, I'm actually
looking forward to it. I think it'll be a good game.
These two sides. I don't think they have the capacity
to play disciplined football and shut out the opposition, which
means that anything can happen. I think there's players on
both sides, and yeah, I hopefully we will get a
(08:10):
crowd of over thirty because anything over thirty thousand a
early outstadium, it's a fantastic atmosphere, so yeah, it should
be a good night at football for over here. And
yeah it's it's chucking along the A League without any
spectacular kind of cut through if you like, nothing like
we've seen in Auckland this season. But it's kind of
okay and developing players, so that's the nineteen good stuff.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Gradur channels always, Adam, enjoy the rest of your weekend
and we'll catch up again next Saturday.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
Thank you too, Thanks Binning a.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Good one mate. Adam Peacock our Australian corresponding there atis Sydney.
He joins us around this time every Saturday afternoon.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine. Listen live
to News Talk zed B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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