Two teenage batsmen came together to lift New South Wales into a dominant position
Andrew McGlashan06-Nov-2018There was a glimpse at the future of Australian batting talent at the SCG as 18-year-old Jack Edwards struck his maiden first-class century and 19-year Jason Sangha his first Sheffield Shield hundred.Then after youth it was experience as Trent Copeland struck three times late on to give New South Wales a firm grip on the contest with Tasmania wobbling at 3 for 108.All the talk, however, was of Sangha and Edwards, who came together with the innings uncertainly placed at 5 for 181 on the second afternoon. They added 180 for the sixth-wicket in a display of assured batting with crisp and confident strokeplay which had started to take shape when they counterattacked against the second new ball the previous evening. It was thought to be just the third time two teenagers had scored hundreds in the same Sheffield Shield innings.The strongly-built Edwards was first to his milestone off 145 balls, following his maiden List A century which came in the JLT Cup earlier this season. Sangha’s ton followed from 161 deliveries, his first in state cricket but his second overall after the hundred he made against England last year playing for a Cricket Australia XI. It was a notable bounce back from Sangha after he bagged a pair in the previous Shield match against Victoria.”I was pretty nervous in the 90s but with Jason in the 90s as well made me feel a bit better about it knowing he was probably just as nervous,” Edwards said. “We told each other just to keep going, there were a few lazy shots from myself where I just needed Sangha to tell me to refocus.”Not everyone’s timing was quite as good as the pair, though. “I know Jason’s family was here, mine didn’t arrive until after I got out – which is typical, but that’s fine,” Edwards said.”I was speaking to Jack, we played an Under-14s game here and to both to score centuries here at the SCG was an amazing feeling,” Sangha said. “So good to be out in the middle when Jack got his. A great day for both of us.”Edwards fell the ball after reaching his hundred as he tried to clear the field against the offspin of Beau Webster while Sangha slapped Matthew Wade’s occasional medium pace to cover as the Blues looked to push on beyond 400.Useful innings from Steve O’Keefe and Copeland extended the New South Wales total until a declaration 40 minutes before tea.Sean Abbott had a very close lbw shout turned down in his first over, but the Blues should have had a wicket before the break when Edwards blotted his copybook somewhat by spilling a catch at deep square as Alex Doolan top-edged a sweep against Nathan Lyon who had been brought on in the sixth over.As with the Tasmania attack, the Blues bowlers found it tough going on a docile pitch and it wasn’t long before the slips were dispensed with. Spin looked the likelier route for wickets, but it was Copeland who made inroads before the close.Doolan cut a short ball to point and three balls later Jordan Silk was given caught behind playing the hook although replays showed the ball had come flush off his helmet. Silk’s walk off the field was understandably slow.Copeland wasn’t done, either, as he had Webster taken down the leg side off an inside leaving much for the Tasmania middle order to do, although the forecast for the third day was not great.
