NSW teenagers give Aussie cricket fans reason to smile for first time in a long time

NSW reached 6-386 at lunch on day two of their clash with Tasmania, thanks largely to Sangha’s unbeaten 106 and Edwards’ 101.

Sangha and Edwards, who captained and opened respectively for Australia in this year’s under-19 World Cup final, shared a game-changing stand of 180 runs in their first outing for NSW at the iconic venue. It’s the third-highest partnership by two teenagers in Shield history.

Chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns, among a sparse crowd, and Test captain Tim Paine, behind the stumps in his first game for Tasmania this summer, would have been suitably impressed.

The youngsters showed exactly why they’ve long been considered two of the most promising juniors in Australia, scoring freely after wearing down an attack led by former Test paceman Jackson Bird.

The highly-rated duo scored at a run a minute during a lively opening hour of Tuesday’s morning session, which finished with former Test keeper Matthew Wade rolling his arm over.

Jason Sangha was pumped to score his first Shield ton.Source:AAP

Edwards backed up his century in coloured clothing with a ton in the whites.Source:AAP

Sangha and Edwards had started a confident counter-punch on Monday, seeing off the second new ball and rallying after NSW lost 4-44 either side of tea.

Sangha celebrated both centuries with glee. The young guns, who faced each other at the same ground during an under-14 competition, have become mates while rising up the junior ranks together in recent years.

Sangha, who has recently picked the brain of Randwick-Petersham teammate David Warner and was mentored by Chris Rogers in winter, had already made history with his maiden first-class century in last year’s Ashes tour game. Sachin Tendulkar is the only batsman to have scored a first-class ton against England at a younger age.

But the 19-year-old was coming off a pair in NSW’s preceding Shield loss to Victoria, and his previous best effort for NSW was a knock of 33 in Adelaide last month.

Edwards, who copped a bouncer blow to the helmet on day one while on 26, marched to three figures in 145 deliveries.

The 18-year-old, who last month became the youngest player to score a century in Australian domestic one-day cricket, worked a loose ball from part-timer Beau Webster down to fine leg to bring up his maiden first-class ton.

Edwards then threw away his wicket with an uncontrolled hook shot, hoicking a short ball from Riley Meredith straight to Alex Doolan in the deep.