Two days after Australia capitulated with the bat in Perth, teenagers Jason Sangha and Jack Edwards gave a glimpse into a better future by posting their maiden Sheffield Shield centuries then vowing to knuckle down.
NSW declared at 9-442 on day two of their SCG clash with Tasmania, thanks largely to Sangha's 117 and 101 from Edwards.
Tasmania were 3-108 in response at stumps, having lost 3-8 late on Tuesday as Trent Copeland struck thrice.
Sangha and Edwards, who captained and opened respectively for Australia in this year's under-19 World Cup final, produced a game-changing stand of 180 runs in their first outing for the Blues at the iconic venue.
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.
It is believed to be just the third time in Shield history that two teenagers have scored hundreds in the same innings.
The other pairings were Ricky Ponting and Michael Di Venuto, and Martin Love and Jimmy Maher.
Those four men all went on to represent their country in either ODI or Test cricket. Sangha and Edwards are widely expected to do the same but the highly-rated duo aren't getting ahead of themselves.
"There is opportunity but you definitely need a lot more than one hundred," Edwards said.
"It's exciting times but a lot of work to do and a long journey ahead."
Sangha agreed, noting "it's just one score".
It was of course Sangha's second first-class ton, coming after he starred 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.
The composed 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.
Sangha and Edwards started their confident counter-punch on Monday, seeing off the second new ball and rallying after NSW lost 4-44.
Sangha resumed Tuesday on 70, with Edwards 50 not out, but it was the latter who ticked off his milestone first.
Edwards, who copped a bouncer blow to the helmet on day one while on 26, brought up his maiden first-class ton in 145 deliveries.
"I was pretty nervous in the 90s but having Sang in the 90s as well made me feel a bit better about it, knowing he was probably just as nervous," Edwards said.
Australian Associated Press
