When a pair of NSW teenagers – Jason Sangha and Jack Edwards – batted their way to maiden Sheffield Shield centuries recently, the talk was of hope for the future. In this bold achievement of youth, though, there was also a reminder of something great from the past.

Let me take you back.

It was late-1958. An Ashes contest was just under way, the teams led by a new Australian skipper, Richie Benaud, and the smooth Englishman, Peter May. But another story was about to unfold that was every bit as interesting. Its beginning was concurrent with the first Test at the Gabba.

Down in Sydney, NSW were hosting South Australia. The Blues, with their usual five in the Test team, had called upon new blood. On the second afternoon of the match, the fight for first innings points was evenly balanced: the home team 5-200 in reply to 303.

With a couple of unproven 20-year-olds now at the wicket, the South Australians might reasonably have felt they were on top. The newcomers were Grahame Thomas, who had played two games the previous season, and a debutant named Neil Marks.