NEWCASTLE wonder boy Jason Sangha was the second youngest player – after Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar – to score a first-class century against England.
Now the 19-year-old batsman has joined another “special” club.
Sangha became Baggy Blue No.748 when selected in the NSW XI for the Sheffield Shield clash with South Australia which started in Adelaide on Tuesday.
The Wallsend product is one of three NSW debutants alongside Jack Edwards and all-rounder Daniel Sams.
NSW captain Peter Nevill presented Sangha with his “Baggy Blue” cap before play.
Sangha’s selection came 11 months after the right-hander scored 133 for the Cricket Australia XI against England in Townsville.
“It’s very rare that someone debuts for NSW when they already have a first-class hundred against an international team under their belt,” Nevill said. “Although you have achieved this at 19 years of age, there is no doubt how much effort you have put in to achieve this - earn this. And these are earned. You earn your Baggy Blue and you spend the rest of your career being worthy of it.
“It’s a cap people in the cricketing world covet. It is a very special thing and you are a member of a very special club.”
Rain delayed the start of the match until 3.30pm and NSW were 3-124 at stumps. Sangha, who plays for Randwick-Petersham in Sydney, is listed to bat at No.7.
Pace bowler Mark Cameron was the most recent Novocastrian to play for NSW in the Sheffield Shield, in 2010-11. Burt Cockley, another fast bowler, made his Shield debut for NSW in 2007-08. Greg Geise was the most recent Newcastle batsman to represent NSW in the first-class competition, in 1984-85.
Sangha was co-captain of the Australian under-19 team last year and it has been a matter of when, not if, he would make his state debut.
He was in the Blues 14-man squad for the interstate one-day series last month but didn’t play.
