NSW debut star Daniel Solway makes hundred with full-time job
NSW Blues have unearthed a late-blooming star in Daniel Solway, after he smashed an unbeaten ton on debut at Adelaide Oval despite a stirring performance from quick Chadd Sayers.
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Following in the footsteps of greatness is one of the toughest tasks in sport, but it did not perturb NSW debutant Daniel Solway.
With Steve Smith nowhere to be seen, Solway stepped in at No.3 and kept the aura alive by scoring a stunning unbeaten hundred in his maiden Sheffield Shield outing against South Australia at Adelaide Oval.
It was a victory for the seemingly by-gone age of the “work and play sportsman”, because despite having his playing contract cut by NSW a couple of years ago, Solway still works for them as a full-time cricket manager.
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Solway heads up the Sydney Thunder’s community program in his local area of Bankstown and in between his own training, the 24-year-old is teaching young kids how to hit balls off tees.
Conditions couldn’t have got much tougher than they were for Solway on day one, with South Australia’s Chadd Sayers slicing his way through the NSW top order with a six-wicket haul.
But Solway was unwavered and will resume 129 not out on day two after regenerating NSW’s innings from 5-107 to build a first-innings total of 7-274.
Solway shared in a big 100-run partnership with captain Peter Nevill, who made 53.
A few years ago when his prospects of playing first-class cricket in Australia were up in the air, Solway took an opportunity to play club cricket in Ireland and performed well – with suggestions the Irish even looked at ways of trying to poach him for the national team.
Dedicated to Bankstown cricket club and the local area, Solway was given the chance to live his dream with Steve Smith and David Warner on international duty and Kurtis Patterson out injured.
The brilliant start to his unique career has him well placed to cement a role for the majority of the Shield summer once Smith and Warner are permanently in Australian colours for the Test season.
Fellow Shield debutant Matthew Gilkes made a duck for his first innings, one of Sayers’ many victims, but is highly regarded as the next star of NSW cricket.
Originally published as NSW debut star Daniel Solway makes hundred with full-time job