Sydney Sixers' Daniel Sams talks about the change in fortunes after a dream debut

The Big Bash League (BBL) 2017-18 got off to a superb start with a thrilling first game played between Sydney Thunders and Sydney Sixers. The Thunders managed a nail-biting last over victory by five wickets at the Sydney Showground Stadium, courtesy the brilliant 77-run knock played by their skipper Shane Watson. For the Sixers, young left-arm medium pace bowler Daniel Sams made his BBL debut in the match.

Following the game, he spoke on how the change in fortunes in his journey before making his debut is because of star English all-rounder Ben Stokes. Sams bowled beautifully in the game and ended up picking four wickets, including the prized scalp of Thunders captain Watson and gave away just 14 runs in his spell of four overs.

Yet, he couldn’t help his team secure a victory in the first game of the seventh edition.

Stokes took my spot in Canterbury line-up

Sams revealed that he was initially not part of the Thunders squad for BBL 7, but was part of the Canterbury Kings in the New Zealand domestic competition. And then he was again replaced in the Canterbury side by the discarded Englishman Ben Stokes who was selected as the star player in the Kings squad.

However, even after so many twist and turns, the 25-year-old was named in the Thunders squad as a replacement for Henry Thornton who pulled out of the tournament due to an injury.

The debutant had high praise for Stokes and tagged him as one of the better all-rounders in the world to have played the game. He feels things went down in an unexpected way in the past few days but now the left armer has finally arrived in the Big Bas.

“He’s one of the better all rounders in the world. As (Stokes’ arrival in Canterbury) all happened, this all happened, so I was kind of thinking hopefully I can’t go to New Zealand because I’m in the Big Bash,” said Sams as quoted by cricket.com.