Anthony Sams – Record Breaker

Simply brilliant! They are the only words to describe Anthony Sam’s amazing century for Randwick Petersham in the big win over Eastern Suburbs in the Kingsgrove Sports Twenty20 Cup match at Coogee Oval on Sunday afternoon.

Batting first after winning the toss, skipper Jason Sangha (12) and Camden Hawkins (17) were back in the pavilion with just 36 runs on the board. Riley Ayre (12) was a second victim to former Randy Pete and Easts skipper Jack Preddey for a 3-66 score-line. But that was the launching pad for the hard-hitting Anthony Sams. In the overs which followed, he and Puru Gaur (16* off 20 balls) put on an unconquered 111 to finish with the highly competitive total of 3-177 off the regulation 20 overs. Sams remained 115* scored off 55 balls with 9 fours and 7 sixes! He brought up his 100 off 50 balls with 7 fours and 7 sixes (70). In the run chase, Easts lost 3 wickets on 27 with Sangha grabbing 2. At 5-59, with gun bat Angus Robson gone for 40, the Dolphins had it all to do. At 5-89, skipper Sangha introduced his 7th bowler—19 year old leg-spinner Shivansh Pathak who had taken his first wicket in Belvidere Cup cricket only yesterday. In 2 overs, the youngster took a breathtaking 4 wickets for 3 runs! Ash Burton then got into the act bowling Jonathan Cook second ball and it was all over for a neat 100 in 17.3 overs. The win assures Randwick Petersham a place in the T20 semi-finals to be played on 9 January 2022.

The innings of Anthony Sams was a masterful one of stroke-play, power and placement. It was also his 10th century in 1st Grade for the club, second only to Test bat Usman Khawaja, who has 15. It was also a NEW RECORD for the club in Twenty20 cricket eclipsing the previous highest score of 102* off 64 against Manly scored by current England opening bat Rory Burns, who played with the club in 2013-14. Nathan Price was another century-maker with 101 off 51 playing against Sydney in 2015-16. It also took Anthony past the 6,000 runs milestone to 6,039—second only to Adam Semple in 1st Grade. He also has 25 fifties and has hit 81 sixes—16 this season! All that by a man who as wicket-keeper, has completed 408 dismissals behind the stumps!!