32-year-old Australian National Cricket Team and Sydney Thunder all-rounder Daniel Sams produced a sensational performance with the bat in the third match of the Big Bash League (BBL) 2024-25.
Daniel Sams unleashed his beast mode to destroy 25-year-old Adelaide Strikers leg-spinner Lloyd Pope, guiding his side to an epic come-from-behind victory at Canberra’s Manuka Oval on Tuesday 17 December.
Daniel Sams steals to give Sydney Thunder a stunning win
Batting first in the match, Adelaide Strikers posted a good total of 182 for 8 on the board. It was the Strikers’ combined batting as opener Jake Weatherald (40), Jamie Overton (45), James Bazley (31) and Alex Ross (22) all contributed well with the bat. Lockie Ferguson and Chris Green took 3 wickets each and Tanveer Sangha took two wickets for Sydney Thunder.
Target-chasing teenage batting sensation Sam Constas hit the fastest fifty in history for Sydney Thunder and became the youngest player to register a half-century in the BBL.
After being dismissed for 56, Sam Billings (29) and Oliver Davies (23) made decent contributions but the match slipped away from the David Warner-led side.
Things looked dire for the Thunder as they were 149/7 at the end of the 18th over and needed 34 from the last two overs to win.
Adelaide Strikers brought Lloyd Pape back into the attack with figures of 1/17 after the first three overs. And Daniel Sams decided to target the spinner to finish in the 19th over.
He smashed two back-to-back huge sixes in the first two balls. Daniel Sams then hit extra cover for a four and followed it up with a six over the square leg fence. He then hit two fours in the cover region to register 31 runs and landed flat.
In the last over, Sydney Thunder needed 3 runs to win and despite losing a wicket in the first ball, they crossed the finish line to win by 2 wickets.
Watch: Daniel Sams sensational strike leads Sydney Thunder to epic win
Do yourself a favor…
Watch this wild ending to the cricket match! #BBL14 pic.twitter.com/bo190SOjyO
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) December 17, 2024
19th 31st run from Daniel Sams! 🤯
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📲 MATCH CENTER https://t.co/FyUiFzUaKJ pic.twitter.com/B5B3hIQ1Nc— Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) December 17, 2024
We’re just being aggressive – Daniel Sams
Speaking after winning the Man of the Match award, Daniel Sams said that they want to be aggressive and perform well in the first half of the competition as this will help them be in a strong position at the end of the Big Bash League.
Sams added that he found Lloyd Pope the perfect target to attack on 19 and went wild against the spinner. He elaborated:
“We’re just being aggressive (finishing the match). If we don’t make the most of it, we’re going to catch it later. And then when (Poppey) got on his back in the last second, it was kind of like that to take Bunny down and luckily it went better.
“(Scored 31 runs) That’s something I’ve really been working on. I was just trying to think about the next ball. Like in the context of the game, I need a lot of runs. I’m just trying to be more focused. One ball and the next ball and try not to think too much. “
Also read: Watch: Sam Constas rewrites history, becomes youngest to score fifty in BBL
Sydney Thunder finished the last season of the Big Bash League at the bottom of the table, winning just one match, and Daniel Sams says they are aiming to do well this time around. He elaborated:
“(Winning start) Yeah, we’ve got the same squad now (as last season). Those are the wins that take you a long way, especially early in the tournament. Being in a position where we probably have to travel. and then we’re in a position where that ball it will be very difficult to win.
“So we’ll take a lot from this game. (Next match) It’s always fun to play against these guys (Sydney Sixers). Personally, we can relate to them.”
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