Daniel Sams delivered an extraordinary display of hitting to spearhead the Sydney Thunder to a thrilling two-wicket win over the Adelaide Strikers
Match Report:
ScorecardSams blasts Thunder home as Konstas stars on debut
Daniel Sams smacked 31 runs off one over from Adelaide Strikers legspinner Lloyd Pope to give the Sydney Thunder an unlikely two-wicket win.
On a dramatic Tuesday night in Canberra, as future international Sam Konstas stunned in his Big Bash League debut, allrounder Sams lifted the Thunder from a looming loss at the start of the 19th over to a certain victory just six balls later.
Still needing 44 runs to win, Sams (42* from 18 balls) delivered one of the most brutal displays of hitting in BBL history - going six, six, wide, four, six, four and four from Pope's over.
Pope bowled three serviceable overs, but was taken down by Sams to finish with figures of 1-48.
Sams' late heroics ended up overshadowing Konstas smashing the fastest fifty in Thunder history.
Konstas blasted 56 from 27 balls, reaching his milestone from just 20 balls, to eclipse the record of towering Englishman Alex Hales.
At just 19 years and 76 days, Konstas also became the youngest player to score a BBL half-century, eclipsing Jason Sangha's record by 28 days.
It continues his impressive record at the ACT venue, having smashed a 90-ball century for the Prime Minister's XI against India earlier in December.
Having catapulted into Test calculations this summer, ultimately missing out on the vacant opener's spot to Nathan McSweeney, Konstas showed he is a three-format prospect.
The right-handed opener fired from the first ball he faced, hitting shots to every corner of the ground.
In an exciting prospect for the BBL, there is a coming together of generations at the top of the order for the Thunder.
David Warner, who is leading the Thunder during this BBL campaign after his captaincy ban was recently overturned, is double the age of his opening partner.
Englishman Jamie Overton, who has a Test batting average of 97 from his solitary international red-ball appearance, slammed an unbeaten 45 to power the Strikers to an imposing total after Warner won the toss and elected to bowl.
Spinners Chris Green (3-27) and Tanveer Sangha (2-27) combined for half of the wickets, while New Zealander Lockie Ferguson (3-24) impressed in his first game for the Thunder.
Strikers opener Jake Weatherald set up the innings with 40, before Overton ended it on a high.
KFC BBL|14 standings
| Team | M | W | L | T | N/R | NRR | Ded. | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
SCO
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.438 | 0 | 2 |
|
2
HEA
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.872 | 0 | 2 |
|
3
SIX
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.847 | 0 | 2 |
|
4
THU
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.205 | 0 | 2 |
|
5
HUR
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
6
STR
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -0.205 | 0 | 0 |
|
7
REN
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -0.847 | 0 | 0 |
|
8
STA
|
2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | -1.158 | 0 | 0 |
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
PTS: Total points
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