Australia's Ashes fears heighten as Sam Konstas claims 41-year low, Usman Khawaja's struggles continue
The hope was for both Usman Khawaja and Sam Konstas, or at least one of Australia's openers, to put together an innings in the third and final Test of the West Indies tour that would inspire confidence four months out from the Ashes.
Instead, the unlikely opening partners combined for a grand total of 54 runs across Australia's two digs in the Jamaican capital.
On day two in Kingston, the visitors began their second innings leading by 82, having rolled the West Indies for 143 earlier in the day.
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Sam Konstas walks off after losing his wicket in Australia's first innings of the third Test. AP
The Australians then lost 6-99 in extremely difficult night conditions, but had budged their lead up to 181 by stumps, scrapping for as much of an advantage as possible against a hooping pink ball.
As six Australian batters wilted, Cameron Green was superb, surviving through to stumps and making 42 runs on the way. The first drop will resume in the middle on day three with Pat Cummins (5).
Konstas' first experience against the pink ball under lights could not have gone much worse.
Under fading natural light in the night session of day two, floodlights beaming across Sabina Park, Konstas lasted just five balls before departing for a duck.
That dismissal of the 19-year-old followed his innings of 17 in Australia's first dig, in which he batted in daylight on the opening morning of the Test.
Shamar Joseph celebrates taking the wicket of Sam Konstas on day two of the third Test. AP
Khawaja, 38, joined his young opening partner back in the pavilion four overs later in Australia's second innings, having fallen for 14.
The left-hander had only managed to score 23 in the first innings.
In the night session of day two, Monday morning Australian time, Konstas let a Shamar Joseph delivery go with a tentative front-foot leave. Then came a defensive stroke on the back foot. Then another defensive stroke as he shuffled on the crease. A half-leave to a ball tracking down the leg side followed.
Joseph corrected with his fifth ball to Konstas and the talented quick got his man, with the right-hander fencing at a good-length ball just outside off and edging to gully.
All told, Konstas only mustered 50 runs at an average of 8.33 across the three Tests in the Caribbean — the lowest batting average by an Australian opener in a Test tour of the West Indies since 1984.
He trudged off in the night session of day two with his tongue hanging out, exasperated by his string of failures.
Sam Konstas trudges off after falling for a duck in his first experience against the pink ball under lights. ESPN
He now only averages 16.30 in Test cricket, and since blasting an Indian attack led by pace ace Jasprit Bumrah in his knock of 60 from 65 balls on Boxing Day, he's strung together scores of 8, 23, 22, 3, 5, 25, 0, 17 and 0.
Konstas was dropped for the Sri Lanka tour, wasn't picked for the World Test Championship final, and returned to the side in the West Indies.
The Sydney product is now surely in grave danger of being dropped for the first Test of Australia's home Ashes campaign.
He will be aiming to bolster his Ashes selection credentials in the early rounds of the Sheffield Shield.
Khawaja lost his wicket in ugly fashion on day two, shuffling on his crease with minimal footwork and chopping on for 14 as he tried to drive Shamar Joseph through cover.
He only registered 117 runs at 19.50 on the tour of the West Indies.
He breathed life into his Test career with his knock of 232 in Galle in January, but has since strung together scores of 36, 27 not out, 0, 6, 47, 15, 16, 2, 23 and 14.
He's made it clear he wants to at least reach the end of the Ashes series but his lean form with the bat may not give him that luxury.
Australia not only lost Konstas and Khawaja in the night session of day two in Kingston, but Steve Smith (5), Travis Head (16), Beau Webster (13) and Alex Carey (0).
Smith was dropped at second slip when he was on 1. The ball raced through the cordon for four but he only lasted another nine balls, perishing for 5 when he got stranded on the crease and chopped an Alzarri Joseph delivery onto his stumps.
The match will resume at 4.30am AEST on Tuesday with the Australians leading by 181 runs.
