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Konstas leaves Sri Lanka to play Sheffield Shield
Sam Konstas’ Sri Lanka tour is officially over with the teenage star returning to Australia to play Sheffield Shield cricket for New South Wales.
Despite an impressive first two Tests, Konstas was replaced at the top of the batting order by the more experienced Travis Head in last week’s series opener in Galle.
With Head making a speedy half-century to set the tone for Australia’s big win, Konstas was set to miss selection again for the second match beginning Thursday.
Konstas trained with the team at their main session in Galle on Tuesday before packing his bags to fly back to Australia in the evening, Cricket Australia confirmed.
Australia selectors determined the 19-year-old would be better served lining up for NSW against Queensland on Saturday at the Gabba – a Test venue at which he has never played – than watching from the sidelines in Galle. The selectors value players getting experience at home Test venues. It was part of the reason Nathan McSweeney got the nod at the start of the Border-Gavaskar series, as Konstas has not played at either the Gabba or Adelaide Oval.
Australia will have adequate concussion substitutes in Konstas’ absence, with 15 remaining in the squad as well as development player Tanveer Sangha.
The tour was Konstas’ first with the Australian squad to the subcontinent, but he previously attended development camps in Chennai and Sri Lanka.
He may have an additional opportunity to hone his skills against spin with an Australia A tour of India in the works for later in 2025.
After his famous start to life as a Test player, the Sri Lanka tour may have shaped as underwhelming for Konstas, who missed selection and was then struck down by a stomach bug.
But Head said Konstas would have learnt from the touring experience.
“Sam’s a big part of where we’re going, there’s no doubt about it,” Head said. “Disappointed that he missed out on the first Test but great for him to be here, great for him to be experiencing conditions.”
Head expected Konstas would return to the top of the batting order when Australia travelled to England for the World Test Championship Final against South Africa in June.
“Most likely I’ll go back in the middle order and Sam will open,” Head said.
[Cricinfo]
Latest News
Heavy rainfall of about 100 mm are likely at some places in Central, Sabaragamuwa, Western, Southern and Uva provinces and in Kurunegala and Polonnaruwa districts
WEATHER FORECAST FOR 01 APRIL 2025
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 01 April 2025 by the Department of Meteorology
The atmospheric conditions are getting favorable for afternoon thundershowers in the most parts of the island for next few days from today (01).
Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-central and Uva provinces and in Galle, Matara and Kurunegala districts during the morning.
Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in the most parts of the island during the afternoon or night. Heavy rainfall of about 100 mm are likely at some places in Central, Sabaragamuwa, Western, Southern and Uva provinces and in Kurunegala and Polonnaruwa districts.
The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershower
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has nominated a former Navy commander to head the country’s domestic security services, despite the courts having blocked his bid to fire the previous head of Shin Bet.
Netanyahu’s office announced on Monday that he had nominated Vice Admiral Eli Sharvit to lead the agency, which surveils attacks from abroad and at home, including by armed groups based in Palestine and Lebanon. However, a halt to the sacking of Ronen Bar as head of Shin Bet, ordered by the Supreme Court, remains in place.
[Aljazeera]
The Trump administration has deported 17 more alleged gang members to El Salvador, the US state department has said, despite legal battles over removing people to the Central American country’s supermax prison.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the group included members of the Tren de Aragua and MS-13 gangs.
Salvadoran government officials told the BBC they included a mix of Venezuelans and Salvadorans.
Earlier this month a court ordered a halt to deportations carried out under the Alien Enemies Act, a 1798 law previously used only in wartime. However, US media, citing administration sources, reported that the recent deportations were made under general immigration laws.
In a statement, Rubio said the group included “murderers and rapists”, but did not provide names or details of the alleged crimes or of any convictions.
In a post on X, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele shared a dramatically edited video showing shackled men being loaded off a plane and their heads being shaved before they were put into prison cells.
“All individuals are confirmed murderers and high-profile offenders, including six child rapists,” he wrote. “This operation is another step in the fight against terrorism and organized crime.”
President Trump reposted the message, blamed the administration of his predecessor Joe Biden for allowing the deportees into the US and thanked Bukele for “giving them such a wonderful place to live”.
El Salvador has agreed to take in deportees in exchange for $6m (£4.6m).
Family members of some of those who were previously sent to the maximum security prison have denied they have any gang ties.
After Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act to remove more than 100 Venezuelans from the US earlier this month, groups including the American Civil Liberties Union filed a legal challenge alleging the administration had illegally denied the immigrants due process.
In a hearing on 15 March, James Boasberg, the top federal judge in Washington DC, imposed a temporary restraining order on the use of the law and ordered deportation flights that were in the air to be turned around.
But the deportations proceeded. The next hearing in the case will be held on Thursday.
[BBC]
Heavy rainfall of about 100 mm are likely at some places in Central, Sabaragamuwa, Western, Southern and Uva provinces and in Kurunegala and Polonnaruwa districts
Netanyahu nominates new Israeli spy chief despite court order
Underworld leader threatens police over arrest of his father and brother
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