Konstas, Boonie and Hawke. And Benaud!
Prime Minister's XI heroics from 2024, 1984 and 1954
Sam Konstas’s century had an erratic brilliance that reminded me of a young Steve Waugh, and of Phillip Hughes.
“Aesthetics, though, won’t be a reason to watch him bat. He doesn’t have much to offer in that department,” wrote Sriram Veera in the Indian Express.
I disagree.
I loved it: for its boldness and class and, curiously, its fragility. And also, yes, for its aesthetic beauty.
In any case, 107 off 97 against a quality Indian attack having just turned 19, is self evidently very impressive.
40 years ago, another youngster made his name in the Prime Minister’s XI game.
It was 24 January 1984 and David Boon was 23. He was in his sixth first class season, had an average of 41 and had never played for Australia.
Prime Minister Bob Hawke had revived the concept of the PM’s XI match after it had lain dormant for two decades. Hawkie didn’t muck around - naming himself 12th man for both teams!
This was at the height of West Indian dominance. In an extraordinary 30 international matches played between the two sides in the period January 1984 to February 1985 Australia won only 4.
But they also won this one - to the delight of Hawke, who had selected the Aussie side, and to the huge Canberra crowd of 14,482.
Hawke, ever the canny politician, was quick to comment on the fact that while he had chosen Boon, the selectors had not: Boon had not been picked for the side about to tour West Indies.
Writing in the Sydney Morning Herald, Brian Mossop noted that Hawke’s ‘most telling piece of repartee came when he was asked if he felt the selectors had any regrets about leaving Boon out. “I think David Boon expressed 134 regrets,” Mr Hawke said.’
Boon himself was typically modest. I bet you can easily call to mind an image of him mumbling this response: ‘I wanted to score runs today. The pressure was off and I had nothing to lose. But I don’t think I deserved to go to the West Indies after my form fell away - and I have no false hopes now.’
Boon’s reward was an ODI debut the next month and a Test debut later in the year. I say reward, but the opposition bowlers in that first Test were Marshall, Garner, Holding and Walsh: surely the best bowling attack of all time. Australia was belted but Boon’s gritty 51 in the second innings confirmed his potential.
Boon was not the only player to benefit from a big performance in Canberra. Way back in 1954, Richie Benaud cracked five sixes on his way to 113 against England.
Benaud was in the Test side at the time but hardly a fixture. Indeed his early years in first class cricket were marked by a failure to really deliver on his obvious potential.
However, by the mid 1950s he was on the rise and would soon become a star and one of the best ever legspinners. These days, Benaud’s batting is somewhat forgotten - understandably overshadowed by his bowling, captaincy and commentary. But he was a big hitter and he could bat.
Indeed, with a first class average of 36.5, these days he’d be in the conversation for our next number 3!