Sam Konstas hits fastest Twenty20 half-century for Sydney Thunder in win over Adelaide Strikers
Warner said Konstas wouldn’t have played if veteran Nic Maddinson wasn’t sidelined with a finger injury, but confirmed the young gun was a “lock here now”.
“He wanted to take the first ball regardless,” the 38-year-old told Seven of Konstas.
Daniel Sams celebrates the Thunders’ win.Credit: Getty Images
“That’s the beauty of playing young kids.
“He’s on a high, he’s really riding his form, and that’s exciting.”
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The Thunder’s victory was sealed after Daniel Sams smacked 31 runs off one over from Strikers leg-spinner Lloyd Pope to give the team an unlikely two-wicket win.
All-rounder Sams lifted the Thunder from a looming loss at the start of the 19th over to a certain victory just six balls later.
Still needing 34 runs to win, Sams (42 not out from 18 balls) delivered one of the most brutal displays of hitting in BBL history – going six, six, wide, four, six, four and four from Pope’s over.
Pope’s first 18 balls were serviceable, but he was taken down by Sams to equal the record, held by Perth Scorchers’ Andrew Tye, for most expensive over in BBL history.
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Requiring just three runs from the final over, the Thunder secured the victory with two balls to spare.
“As soon as ‘Popey’ came on in that second-last over, that was the over to take down,” Sams told Seven.
“These are the kind of wins, especially early in the tournament, that can get you a long way.
“We were in a position where we probably should have cruised, and then we were in a position where it’s going to be tough to win so getting over the line is really important.”
